


Islands and the People On Them

by Roguishly_Good_Looking



Category: One Piece
Genre: ASL Brothers, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cute Kids, Cute Monkey D. Luffy, Dialogue Heavy, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Multi, Not Really Character Death, Slice of Life, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2019-08-24 12:02:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 74,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16639715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roguishly_Good_Looking/pseuds/Roguishly_Good_Looking
Summary: Garp comes home to Dawn Island to find more than he expected: one more boy then he left, and an auditor from the Financial Sector of the Navy.What happens when Ace, Sabo and Luffy are taken from Dawn Island, and how will this change everything?





	1. What Are You Doing Here?

Garp was a giant man. Wide in the shoulders, and even though only a line of his once jet black hair had not yet succumbed to invading grey, he still stood a hardy nine feet tall. He had swapped his usual white Navy uniform with a colorful Aloha shirt that his late wife had picked out for him. It was a little worn on the edges, as it was 20 years old, but he wore it so rarely that it was hardly noticeable to anyone but him. It was perfect for visiting his home island of Dawn in the early spring, to check on his seven year old grandson Luffy, and his charge, Ace, who was… ten? Twelve now? He wasn’t too sure. Numbers were never his strong suit.

He walked up up Mt. Colbo and entered the clearing of the Mountain Bandits fortified cabin where he had left the boys to the care of Dadan, the bandit’s leader. He came upon three boys, two of which he recognized. Luffy, a slimmer version of Garp when he himself was a little boy, with a small scar under his left eye, and perpetually wearing an oversized straw hat that covered his short choppy black hair. Ace, slightly taller than Luffy and a little more muscular, had freckles and chin length messy dark hair. The last was a little blonde boy with cropped curly hair, only a touch shorter than Ace, with a ridiculously large blue top hat, wearing a worn suit to match.

 

“Eh? Who’s this?”

Garp looked down at the three children in front of him, arms crossed as they looked up in slight horror in the shadow of this colossus.

The blonde haired boy with the top hat stood up straight and bowed, grinning.

“Nice to” fart “meet-” fart “you!” Fart. “I’m Sabo!”

Garp’s face formed into a deeper grimace, teeth bared. “Disrespectful! I’ll beat you into a respectable marine too!”

His fist bonked onto the boy’s head, and was about to lay into the boys, when he froze and looked up.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

The boys, Dadan, a round, burly woman with a bush of orange hair who was currently resting on the doorframe of the cabin, and the mountain bandits at the house looked up at a large figure, eight feet tall at least, leaning against a large tree, shaded from view.

“I could ask you the same, Vice Admiral Garp.”

“Peh,” Garp spat, straightening himself and dusting off his hands, looking away. “Annoying.”

The figure lifted their weight from the tree, the large tree’s leaves shaking from the change of weight. Stepping into the light was a woman, almost as tall as Garp nearly as wide, with a thick loose braid over her shoulder, blonde with pink at the tip. She wore a white tank-tee with thin navy stripes and white capris, and carried the oversized white navy coat slung over her shoulder, not wearing it. She grabbed a notepad and pen from inside the coat as she approached Garp.

“I’ve been ordered to do an audit of our higher level personnel to make sure the assets allocation is as accurate as possible, and to address the possible liabilities to the World Government.”

Her eyes, sharpened by dark winged tips flashed up. “Shouldn’t you be ported in Alabasta right now, Monkey D. Garp?”

Garp growled, baring his teeth, “I’m working on it, just making a stop on the way.”

The woman raised her eyebrows, tucking the notepad under her arm, “A 20 league detour you mean. And who are these?”

She did a broad sweep of her arm at the boys.

Luffy jumped up, waving his arms, “I’m Luffy! Hey, you are pretty fat!”

The entire group froze aghast, Dadan’s cigarette fell out of her mouth.

“LUFFY!”

The giant woman’s eyes narrowed as she looked down at the little boy, and lifted her arm. Ace and Sabo tensed. She flexed, and the immense sculpted muscles on her arm bulged.

She lifted her chin at him, “Fat with muscle you mean.”

“WHOOOAAAA!!” Luffy cheered, eyes alight. “Your arm is almost as thick as Gramps’!”

“‘Gramps’?” She glanced over at Garp who huffed.

“You are looking at my good for nothing grandson, Luffy.”

She looked down at the little boy starting to bounce up and down in excitement.

“Dragon’s boy.”

Garp, eyes narrowed into slits at the sound of his son’s name, eyeing the woman from the side.

“Hey, hey HEY!” Luffy chanted, “You’re the BIGGEST lady I have ever seen, you look SOOO strong, can I swing on your arm?”

“Sure.” Her arm still flexed, Luffy pulled back his arms.

“Gummo-Gummo no… SLING!” Two rubbery arms shot out and latched up to the top of her arm, making the woman’s eyes widen as he shot up, swinging past giggling and then retracting his arms, rising up, swinging back and forth as he did.

“A devil fruit? How-?”

“Look! Look! Ace, Sabo, I actually did it!”

Garp gruffed, “Some pirate scum visited the town, and Luffy got the devil fruit from them.”

“What?” The woman’s voice rumbled low as her eyes narrowed at Garp.

Luffy looked back at his grandpa, the two other boys ran up to jump and grab onto his legs and started swinging with him, laughing.

“Shanks isn’t scum he saved my life and I’m going to be a great pirate like him!”

“Why you-!” snapped Garp.

The woman looked down at the little boy latched onto her arm, not reacting to the extra weight of the other two boys in the slightest. “You’re planning on being a pirate?”

Luffy grinned up at her. “Yeah, I’m going to be strong, have all the food I want and be the freest person on earth! Sabo and Ace too!”

She looked at the two slightly older boys laughing to themselves, hanging off Luffy’s legs.

“Hmn.”

“Oh! Lady?”

She looked back at Luffy.

“Do you work in the Navy with Gramps?”

“Well, I don’t work with him, but I do work for the Navy. I make sure everyone in the Navy gets paid.”

“Oh.” Luffy looked up thoughtfully. “Sounds boring.”

A small smile curved onto her lips. “It should be much more boring than it is.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because some Navy Vice Admirals take 70 mile detours when they are supposed to be doing their job.”

Garp just grumbled to himself, plopping himself cross-legged on the ground.

The woman started walking the swinging children over to the house.

“Who’s that?” the woman nudged towards the group of people ahead.

“Oh! That’s Dadan and the Mountain Bandits.”

She froze mid step. “Mountain Bandits?”

“Yeah,” grinned Luffy, “Gramps threatens her to take care of us.”

The woman continued walking, looking down at the dirt path in front of her. “And does she take care of you?”

“Shi-shi-shi-shi, she gives us a place to sleep, and tries to get us to do chores, but we run out into forest to hunt and go into the grey terminal to stea-”

“LUFFY!” Both boys underneath him yelled in unison. He clasped his hands over his mouth and all three boys crumpled onto the ground.

The woman raised a brow, and continued walking towards the house, leaving the pile of boys to argue amongst themselves.

“Luffy,” hissed the freckle faced boy nailing a fist onto Luffy’s head, “you don’t know when to shut up!”

“You could get us in trouble,” echoed blonde boy in the same hushed tone.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!”

 

Dadan shivered as towering figure came closer. She pulled out another cigarette, and tried to light it.

“Dadan, I am told?”

Dadan, jerked, dropping the lighter, cursing, “Yeah what of it?” She froze, eyeing the epaulette of the jacket, her heart going right into her throat.

The woman held out her hand, giving a quick bow with her head. “Vice Admiral Ailani Mahi’ai, at your service. I’d like to ask you a few questions, if you’d be so kind.”

Dadan tentatively took the hand, slightly in shock. Another vice admiral. HERE.

After doing a light handshake the vice admiral took out her notepad.

“How long have you known Monkey D. Garp?”

“Umm, a decade and a half at least.”

The woman nodded continuing. “And how do you know him?”

Dadan grimaced, “Err, we uh…”

“You’ve been intimate?”

The whole of the mountain bandits interrupted in turmoil behind Dadan. Dadan bit her unused cigarette in half, and spit out the filter. She raised a finger at the other woman in front of her who dared to imply that so clinically.

“I would rather be dipped in a pot of boiling oil and roasted alive.”

“Good, good,” the large woman nodded not looking up, “and you wouldn’t call this man your friend?”

“No, absolutely not.” She crossed her arms adamantly.

Vice Admiral Ailani nodded as she continued writing. “What is your source of income?”

“Er, well, we do..” she looked back at her crew, “Odd jobs.”

Garp burst out laughing, still sitting where he was before. “HAHA! You could say that, they’re bandits, Ailani!”

She turned her head slightly towards him, but continued to face Dadan, “And you would trust your grandchild with them?”

“They wouldn’t try anything, they’re too afraid I’d kill them, or worse.”

He picked his nose, and flicked a booger away. “HEY!” He pointed at the boys who had decided to sneak away. “You haven’t trained yet, you aren’t going anywhere!”

The boys communally moaned and flopped on the ground.

Ailani looked at the boys and then back at her notepad, “Garp has charged you with the care of all three of these boys?”

Dadan scoffed, “Hardly, the two boys brought that little blonde boy in and just expected it was ok for him to stay here.”

“But he does stay here.”

“Yeah.”

“So the other two boys, Luffy and…”

“Ace.”

“Ace. Garp _has_ charged you with their care. Correct?”

“Correct.”

“Thank you. What is Ace’s relationship with Garp?”

“Er, umn…”

Ace listened in, hearing his name as he lay in the grass with his brothers who were scheming their new plan to sneak away .

Dadan tensed up side-eyeing Ace. “Dunno. Garp’s business.”

Ailani nodded not looking up, “And with these odd jobs, the compensation from Garp for these services is included?”

“What compensation?”

“What?” Ailani looked up from her notepad, blinking.

“Garp hasn’t paid me for shit.”

Ailani, both eyebrows raised, stared at Dadan. “Oh. Ok. I see. And how long have you watched these boys?”

Dadan glanced over at the boys, “Well, I’ve watched Ace for about 10 years-”

She heard a guttural sound come from the other woman and turned back. The woman was staring at her notepad with an indiscernible expression on her face, not writing anything down.

“Aaaand, been watching Luffy for about a few months and Sabo even less - are you ok?”

“I’m. Fine.” Vice Admiral Ailani slowly put her notepad and pen in her coat, still not looking up.

“And how often does Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, visit to care for these boys, personally.”

“He drops by every 6 months or so, ‘trains’ them, or so he calls it, and then heads out expecting me to turn these boys into marines. Ridiculous.”

“Hmn.”

The towering woman did a neat 180 military turn on the spot and slowly marched towards the older gentleman who had fallen asleep sitting up.

Dadan eyed the woman as she got up to Garp. The boys, noticing that Garp had fallen asleep had snuck out to the forest’s edge. Ace turned back just in time to see the large woman raise her leg and kick Garp over.

“What-hmn who-” Garp shuddered awake putting an arm down to steady himself, looking up at the other vice admiral. “What do you-”

The woman crossed her arms, looking down at him. “What the fuck is wrong with you.”

Garp got up, dusting himself off. “What the hell are you-”

“The absolute gaul. Bringing a kid to this woman. Intimidating her into taking care of him for you for TEN. WHOLE. _YEARS_ ?... And you don’t even.. _pay her_?”

“She’s a bandit-”

“Maybe she wouldn’t be if she was adequately paid for her services.”

“I don’t have the salary to-”

She lifted a finger up to his face. “Then you should have taken care of him yourself.”

“That’s impossible-”

“Impossible? Oh, big marine Garp is too important to take care of a child?”

“That’s not-”

“People start families all the time, if this is your child-”

Garp lifted a hand, “He’s not my kid.”

“What you just pick up a random kid, and dump him with some bandits that you terrorized into watching him?”

“No.”

“No, you didn’t just dump him on bandits?”

“He’s not just some kid.”

“Prince from a fallen kingdom. Political refugee. Ex-lover’s lover’s child. Secretly a top secret robot experiment-” Ailani lifted a finger up for each one.

Garp shook his head, waving his arms. “What? No!”

Luffy turned to Ace. The three of them turned back to watch from the bushes.

“Ace, are you secretly a robot?”

“NO!”

“Then why is this boy here, Garp.” Ailani gritted through her bared teeth, voice low.

Garp chuckled, turning away.

Ace dug his nails into his palms, hands in fists as he got ready to run.

“He’s Gol D. Roger’s son.”

Luffy and Sabo yelled.

“WHAT!”

Gol D. Roger, the most infamous pirate of the last age, and not only did he have a son, but he was harbored by the war hero of the Navy that had captured the man.

Ailani’s mouth opened in shock as she turned to where she sensed the boys. There was Ace. Staring down at her from the edge of the forest with an expression that could only could be described as emotionless; blank. She turned back at Garp.

“He doesn’t look anything like him.”

Nearly all of the bandits fell over.

“He clearly took after his mother, you absolute moron. Oooo…” She lifted her arms wiggling her fingers. “Gol. D. Roger had black hair... this kid has black hair! Do you know how many people have black hair - shame on you! You could have given him to literally any family, and all you had to do was not tell them it was Gol D. Roger’s kid and he’d be fine. It’s so easy not to tell them because he doesn’t _look_ like him. Didn’t you have any-...”

She stopped and looked Garp over, from his flip flops to the tips of his greying hair.

“Oh my god. You really don’t have any friends.”

“What?!”

“This makes so much sense.” She stepped away, hands raised to either side of her temples. “All you have are professional relationships, people who are forced to spend time with you, or idolize you because they don’t know who you really are. You don’t have any real friends outside of work because no one can can stand to be _near_ you!”

“Now see here-”

“No.” She lifted a hand up. “I’m done with you. Don’t talk to me.”

She turned to where the boys had been, and they were gone.

Garp’s seethed as he lifted up up his hand to point at Ailani. “Hey you think you can-... Where are you going!”

Walking up up towards the bandit’s home, Ailani took her coat off her shoulder and fished a small bag out, pocketing it.

“Dadan, would I be able to leave my coat with you?”

“Absolutely, sure! Anything you want Miss!” Dadan took the white coat offered to her, starry eyed and practically floating. “Where will you be heading, Miss?”

Ailani was already entering the forest where they had last seen the boys, and waved not looking back.

“Boss,” one of the bandits whispered. “What do you think she’s going to do?”

“Don’t know, don’t care.” She turned, and looked at Garp. The man’s face was ripe like a pomegranate, arms crossed tightly across his chest. He was grumbling something about ‘stupid bureaucrats’ and ‘soiling the sacred coat giving it to bandits’ as he tightly paced back and forth, glancing up where the woman had disappeared.

She shook her head, scowling as she went inside.

“Fuckin’ asshole.”

 

“Ace! ACE!”

“Ace slow down!”

The two boys raced after their friend, starting to lose sight of him in the forest ahead of them.

They ran out into a clearing and almost off a cliff. Sabo grabbed Luffy’s shirt and pulled him away from the edge.

Luffy peaked over the edge as he did. “Do you think he jumped?”

Sabo looked to either side of the ledge, and spotted Ace sitting on a ledge jutting out, facing the sea.

“There!”

They jogged over.

“Ace?”

“Do you hate me now?”

“WHAT?” Both boys exclaimed.

Sabo came up and kneeled behind Ace. “Why would we hate you?”

“Yeah! You are our brother! Also your dad was the pirate king, that’s so cool!” Luffy grinned.

“HOW IS THAT COOL?”

Luffy took a step back, frowning.

“HOW IS IT COOL, TO HAVE A DAD THAT’S THE MOST HATED PERSON ALIVE?”

Luffy walked tentatively up to Ace’s other side and sat down. Hair covered Ace’s eyes, but his teeth were clenched, mouth quivering. Luffy looked back at Sabo, who slid forward to match Luffy. Ace tensed.

“Ace,” Sabo spoke quietly. “We don’t hate you. You are our brother and our very best friend. You are the person I trust more than anyone in the world.”

A sob ejected out of Ace.

Luffy bent forward to look at Sabo, pointing to himself. “More than me?”

Sabo nodded. “Absolutely.”

Ace snorted out a sharp laugh, tears starting to trickle their way down his cheek.

Luffy frowned and looked at the grass in front of him, brow furrowed. His expression relaxed as looked up and nodding. “That’s fair.”

Sabo grinned and pulled up to Ace so their shoulders met. Ace relaxed.

Luffy inched over, sandwiching Ace.

“I think I’d pick Ace too,” Luffy spoke quietly.

Sabo chuckled, looking out across the ocean. “That’s fair.”

Luffy saw Ace smile at that, and the little boy smiled in return.

“Why don’t you hate me? You know who my dad is.”

Sabo looked back at Ace.

“I don’t think who your parents are is very important. You know about my parents, and you still like me.” Sabo smiled at the grass between them fondly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Luffy cheered. “And you like me even though you think I’m an annoying brat!”

“You are pretty annoying,” chuckled Ace, wiping his face on the tank top he was wearing.

Luffy frowned, looking down at his legs.

Sabo looked over, laughing, “Why are you upset? You brought it up!”

Luffy puffed up his cheeks, “I know, it still hurts my feelings.”

The other two boys laughed.

Sabo looked at Ace who had lifted his head up, and was smiling, eyes red and cheeks blotchy.

A breeze from the sea blew over their faces, almost knocking Sabo’s hat off, but he caught the brim just in time.

The sun glistened on the waves like strands of metallic thread. Suddenly Ace looked back behind them.

The other boys turned to see forest give way to the eight foot tall woman exiting it, hand pushing away branches as she did.

Ace stood up, eyes narrowing and brow furrowed.

“Woo. What a view.” She placed her arms on hips as she looked out to over the cliff.

“What do you want?”

She didn’t turn from the ocean.

“Do you know where we can get some ice cream?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy the trip!  
> 


	2. It's Sweet

 

The boys stood at the ready, watching the largest woman they had ever seen to this point look out into the ocean, stray hairs from her braided hair dancing in the breeze. She spoke to them, eyes still focused on the view.

“Do you know where we can get some ice cream?”

Luffy jumped up, starry eyed. “ICE CREAM?”

Ace bonked him on the head.

Sabo raised a brow. “We?”

She looked over at the boys. “Yeah. Could really go for some, how about you?”

The boys looked at each other.

Sabo frowned. “Luffy you’re drooling.”

Luffy wiped his face and Ace huffed, crossing his arms, lifting his chin defiantly.

“Why would we go anywhere with you? I don’t trust you.”

The woman blinked, frowning a bit. “You shouldn’t trust me.”

The boys were taken aback.

She took a step towards the boys. “You don’t know me.”

Another step. “I don’t like your grandpa.”

She crouched down. “And all you have is my word that I won’t hurt you.”

“Well I like you.” Luffy grinned. “It was nice having Gramps being yelled at for once, shi-shi-shi!”

“What about me?” Ace stepped forward, pointing his thumb at himself. “I’m Gold D. Roger’s son.”

“He didn’t raise you and he’s dead.” The women’s hazel eyes softened after she said it, shaking her head and looking away. “So I don’t care.”

“You don’t? Then why are you still here?”

She grinned slightly in response. “Well I’m here on this island. I don’t want to spend time with Garp, I don’t want to spend my time with bandits. I’d rather spend time with you.”

Ace’s cheeks flushed. Caught off guard, he took a step back.

“YEY!” Luffy ran up grabbed her arm, she raised it up, having him dangle from it. Luffy started chanting. “Ice-cream-ice-cream-ice-cream!”

Sabo grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “Luffy’s on board. What about you Ace?”

“Uhm er, sure. I guess.. I mean, I don’t care.” He straightened himself and put his hands behind his head, looking away.

Sabo chuckled watching him.

“You know the island better than I do.” The woman spoke up. “Where can we pick up some ice cream? My treat.”

“Let’s go to Foosha Village,” chimed in Luffy. “I want to see Makino! She should have ice cream. We’re avoiding the city right now anyways!”

“Oh?” The woman raised a brow.

“Yeah,” Sabo shifted, nervously handling brim of his hat, “Foosha Village is best, I’ve never been, actually.”

“Me neither.” Ace added.

“It’s settled then.” She pulled Luffy from her arm and perched him on her right shoulder. “Foosha Village it is. Lead the way.”

 

The mayor of Foosha Village frowned. He scratched the meager becomings of a beard on his chin, adjusting his red and pink striped bucket hat as he stood at the entrance of the only restaurant in town.

A woman, nearly twice the size of Makino, the young raven haired owner of the Partys Bar, leaned into the counter, smiling as the both of them bantered, chuckling. There were three boys that sat at the bar eating ice cream, two of which he had been recently acquainted with when he and Makino had visited Luffy up on the mountain. The woman sitting at the counter seemed more focused on conversing with the bar’s young owner than on her own bowl of ice cream, only slapping a vagrant little hand if it got too close, not turning away from Makino.

Luffy blew on his hand shaking it; the two other boys laughed.

The woman finished what she was saying to Makino, and looked over at Luffy. “If you want more ice cream, just ask.” She took a spoonful into her mouth. “Don’t take mine.”

“Here you go Luffy,” laughed Makino, putting another bowl in front of him and he dived in.

“More please,” chorused Ace and Sabo putting their bowls in front of Makino.

She continued laughing adding more into their bowls, “You guys are going to end up eating all of my ice cream!”

“I think that’s their plan.” The woman took another spoonful of her own bowl, not looking up.

“And who, are you?”

The boys, Makino and the woman looked up.

“That’s Woop!” Luffy waved, he turned to the woman. “He’s the mayor!”

“Oh?” The woman stood from the bar stool, side-eyeing the boys as she placed her bowl on the counter. “Not done.”

“Awww!”

She walked over to the mayor and did a curt bow. “Vice Admiral Mahi’ai at your service.”

The mayor took a step back, aghast, and adjusted his oval glasses. “Vice Admiral?”

The three boys looked up. Sabo almost as taken aback as the mayor, Ace’s eyes widened, and Luffy just shovelling more ice cream in his mouth.

“Oh wike Gwampf.”

Makino put a hand up to her mouth in surprise. “Oh, I didn’t realize!”

The mayor straightened himself, smoothing his yellow short sleeve collared shirt. “Oh and uh what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, Miss, er, Vice Admiral?”

“Please sit.” She motioned to the seat next to hers at the bar. “I want to finish my ice cream before Luffy does.”

“You said I could have more!”

“Not mine.”

Makino tutted. “Luffy, you’re going to get a stomachache.”

The mayor sputtered apologetically and sat next to the woman. She was almost two whole heads taller than him, even while sitting.

“I don’t mean to intrude but Vice Admiral Garp is here, does your visit pertain to him?”

She sighed taking a bite of ice cream. “Only out of a formality. We’ve doing an audit of all higher level personnel, due to some… inconsistencies in the allocation of assets. Nothing fancy, but essential, nonetheless.”

“An audit, ey?”

He looked at down the counter. Makino was drying a glass with a dishrag, laughing at the boys. “Well, the Navy is a large organization. Not everyone can be perfect. And Garp?”

She shook her hand, “He hasn’t done anything illegal. Just been a bad grandpa.”

The mayor was taken aback. “What do you mean?”

She pointed at the three boys, “Those three boys have pretty been raising themselves out in the wilderness.”

“They, well… they’re strong at least.”

“That’s how they’ve survived.” She scraped up the last bit of ice cream from the sides of the bowl, shaking her head. “But that’s not enough.”

The old man sighed, adjusting his glasses. “But what else is there? Luffy can’t stay in the village anymore.”

“What indeed.” She took her final bite of ice cream.

 

They all waved goodbye as they left the village. Luffy sat on Ailani’s shoulders, straddling her head, one hand steadying himself. The other two boys trotted alongside, keeping up with the large woman’s strides.

Up the path a ways, Luffy put both hands on top of Ailani’s head, head resting on them. “Lani?”

“...Yes?”

The other two boys glanced up.

“When are you coming back?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re nice. I want to keep you.”

Ailani belt out a hardy bellowing laugh. Sabo and Ace started laughing too.

“What do you mean ‘keep her’ Luffy?” Sabo raised a brow, still laughing.

“What, like a pet?” Ace snickered.

“No!” Luffy crossed his arms and puffed his cheeks, indignant. “She’s big and nice and strong, and since she’s a grown up we can’t make her stay but maybe we can make her promise to come back! Don’t you like her?”

The two boys stared at her face for a good thirty seconds.

Ailani glanced away from their inspection. “You’re making me embarrassed.”

The two boys laughed and Luffy grinned.

Sabo grinned, “Yeah! I like you!”

“You’re fine, I guess,” smirked Ace.

Ailani pointed at Ace. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Luffy and Sabo laughed, and Ace grinned.

“Look! She already speaks ‘Ace’!”

“Shuddup!”

They all laughed, but then Ailani stopped, holding out an arm. The two other boys stopped.

“Wha-” Luffy began to say, before Ace pointed out into forest. The trees moved up ahead, and the two boys on the ground readied themselves to start running.

A bead of sweat went down Sabo’s face. “The bear, or-”

His question was soon answered as the most massive tiger on the island came out onto the path.


	3. Lions, Tigers and... Plans

A tiger, at least a story tall, pushed out of the forest, eyes set upon the group of four.

“Shit,” Ace swore, taking a step back, readying his stance, “we left our steel pipes at the house!”

The tiger roared, but then stopped almost mid roar and looked down, eyes wide and mouth closing slowly.

“Shhhhh.” Ailani raised a hand, walking forward slowly.

The tiger arched away, bringing its tail up close to its body.

“You’re ok.” 

It froze and closed its eyes as she reached over and placed a hand on its nose, shuddering as it made contact. It opened them as her hand pet the fine shorter fur on his snout.

“What a handsome boy.” She went over, placing her arms under his giant chin and behind his ear, petting him. The tiger closed its eyes again and relaxed to her touch.

“Wow,” whispered Luffy, who was leaning against the face of the tiger, starting to pet it still attached to Ailani’s shoulders. He looked back at his two flabbergasted brothers, eyes wide. “Guys!”

Ailani turned her head, glancing back. “You can say hello, but  _ gently _ .”

The two boys looked at each other, and then slowly walked over. Ace lightly traced his hand across the fearsome predators face as he walked, eyeing the enormous teeth as he went. Sabo passed Ailani and Luffy and sunk his arms into the fur at the tiger’s neck.

“His fur is so soft,” whispered Sabo.

Ailani continued to smile, expression soft and relaxed, scratching behind the beast’s ears and chin, making him tilt his chin up and towards her, startling Ace on the other side, but giving him access to put on top of the large feline’s head. The large cat laid down, and puffed a deep vibrating sound, almost like a growl.

“What’s that?” Luffy had climbed off of Ailani’s shoulders and was lying on his stomach on the tiger’s face.

“That’s chuffing,” Ailani answered. The tiger continued making the noise intermittently, rubbing his enormous head on Ailani, but only pushing her back maybe an inch. “Large cats can’t purr, so chuffing is their happy sound.”

“Wow.” Luffy hugged the tiger’s head. “He’s so happy!”

Sabo had submerged himself in the tiger’s fur and Ace had done the same on the other side.

The tiger growled and chuffed, until it stopped. Its breath deepened, evening rhythmically, eyes closed.

Ailani kept her smile as she pulled away. She tapped on Luffy’s arm, and he lifted himself up, looking at her. She put a finger to her lips and mimed sleep with her hands. He giggled, and she put her finger to her mouth again, and he did the same. She helped him down, though he didn’t need it. Luffy tapped on Sabo who was slouched on the tiger, hat tipped forward over his face. Ailani went over to Ace who was face first in the fur. She walked over and heard a soft growling from him. She leaned in. He was asleep. She put a hand on his bare shoulder - no response. She picked him up gently and carried him against her shoulder to the others waiting on the path. 

Sabo sighed. “He really can fall asleep anywhere, can’t he?”

Ailani smiled and they turned and made their way back up the mountain. 

 

Dadan stood in the doorframe as they approached, and seeing Ace in the large woman’s arms, trotted over.

“Ace, is he alright?”

Luffy hopped over, “He fell asleep on a tiger!”

“WHAT?”

Ace stirred.

Dadan shifted her cigarette to the other side of her mouth. “Come on, bring him in. Let’s lay him down.”

Ace didn’t wake up, he just turned to his side after being put down on his futon. Dadan put a sheet over him, and looked up at Ailani, who was staring intently at the boy. Ailani looked up, meeting Dadan’s stare. 

“What are you going to do?” Dadan growled quietly. “You know who he is now.”

Ailani chuckled, “I don’t know who he is, I just met him.” She turned and ducked out of the room. 

Dadan huffed and chased after her.

“You know what I-”

“Is Garp still here?”

“He left for the city, said the Navy ship was docked there.”

“Good.”

Dadan followed Ailani out of the building. The two boys were sparring outside with makeshift weapons made from steel pipes, but stopped when they saw them. 

“Lani!” Luffy waved. “Watch what I can do!”

Sabo flopped a hand over his face. “Here we go again.”

“Gummo-gummo-no… pistol!”

His fist went right past Sabo and the boy watched it go past and flop on the grass like a limp snake.

Luffy frowned, looking up at Lani as the woman approached. “I’m working on it.” He retracted his arm. “It’ll be really cool once I figure it out!”

Ailani bent down and ruffled his hair, bumping his hat to his back. “I’m sure you’re right.”

She stood up, clapping her hands and then readying her stance. “Wanna spar?”

The boys grinned and started to put their pipes down, when she motioned them to stop. “Come at me with your best.”

“You sure?” With a lopsided grin, Sabo raised a brow.

“Come at me.”

So they went. First Sabo, she deflected the pipe without any effort, followed quickly by Luffy, who she dodged, barely stepping to the side, and this continued on, for five to ten minutes, before the boys were breathing deeply. Ailani was only as sweaty as before, more from the humidity than by any exertion. 

“Let me try.”

They all looked up. Ace was walking over with his own pipe, bed head and all. When he got close enough he readied his stance. Ailani did as well. Ace let out a yell and charged, jumping up, but Ailani stepped out of the way, grin flashing across her face. Ace landed and sprung again, her hand lightly tapping the pipe away. It carried on like this, Ace’s attacks intensifying, Ailani dodging them as if was she doing barely anything at all, him catching himself like a cat and springing back. The other two boys sat in the grass watching. Ace slid onto the grass, huffing, eyes intense and focused, sweat rolling off of his brow.

Luffy cupped his hands over his mouth. “You can do it Ace!”

Sabo whistled.

Ace smirked, went in for a frontal attack but then dipped to the side almost too fast for the other two boys to see, jumping up and pulling his pipe back to swing from the side. Ailani dipped down and in, taking Ace’s projected force angling him over her head, hand on his stomach and let him plop down on his back behind her. The impact took the air out of him.

“Ace!” Luffy jumped up, and Sabo stood up after him.

Ailani bent down to check on the prone boy, and just as she did he swung the pipe at her face, and she caught it with a large creak.

“Ah, jeez.” She took her hand off and it was completely crinkled to the shape of her fingers and even popped open on the side. “Sorry about that. That was my fault.”

Ace’s eyes widened at his pipe, and then grinned at Ailani, “Cool.”

Sabo and Luffy ran up. 

Luffy started hopping in place, “Ace, Ace look at your pipe!”

Sabo reached for it, “Can I see it?”

Ace nodded and handed it over. 

Ailani, reached down and offered her hand.

He stared at it, grinned and took it.

Ailani flashed a smile from the corner of her mouth. “You are a very strong little guy.”

“I’m not little.” He wiped the grass from his legs.

“Nearly everyone is little to me, really.”

He looked up at her, and then continued to clean himself off. “Fair. I’m not as strong as you though.”

“I’ve got a couple years of practice on you.”

Ace looked at Luffy who was watching Sabo examine the deformed pipe, and grinned. “Yeah.”

He noticed Ailani turn, he looked at her, and then to where she was watching the forest. There, a large tiger emerged with an enormous boar in its mouth.

“Is that?” His eyes widened.

The tiger glanced around the clearing before spotting them and placed the boar down, licking its chops.

Ailani crossed her hands over her heart, crooning softly. “Awww... sweet baabyyy...”

This seemed enough for the tiger, it growled at them satisfied, and disappeared back into the forest.

She looked down at Ace, placing a hand on his shoulder with the other still over her heart. “He brought us a gift!”

“Yey meat!” Luffy yelled, and they all went to bring the boar back to the house.

 

Dadan and the mountain bandits prepared the boar. Ailani watched the boys devour their portions while sharing drinks with Dadan.

Dadan scoffed. “They have no manners.”

“They’ve had to fight for food. I used to eat like that when I was younger - came from a large family. It wasn’t until I realized that I could always get more, that I didn’t have to rush to get what I needed that I was able to calm down.”

“Oh?”

Ailani smiled, “I grew up on a farming island: yams, limes and vanilla. My extended family is 125 strong.”

Dadan gasped, “That’s not a family, that’s a small army!”

Ailani laughed, taking a sip of her drink. “An army of farmers and fishermen perhaps.”

Dadan looked into her cup. “You didn’t answer my question from earlier.”

“Hmn?”

“What are you going to do?”

Ailani took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t know.”

The boys were fighting over a large slab of meat, Ailani picked herself up, took a knife and cut it between them.

“Aw, it’s smaller now,” whined Luffy.

“Well now you got nothin’ to fight about.” She licked her fingers where she had touched the meat and started to walk back but a thought made her stop.

“Sabo.” She turned.

“Hmm?” He was in the middle of taking a bite of the meat she split between them.

“Luffy said you guys can’t go into the city. Why?”

Sabo gulped and choked on his food. Ace reached over and slapped him on the back, and a wad of food projected from Sabo’s mouth and onto Luffy’s cheek.

“AAAHHHH!!! GROSS SABO!”

“Sorry, sorry.” Sabo put up a hand apologetically as Luffy shook the piece off and frantically wiped his face with his shirt. Ace fell over on the floor laughing, grasping at his sides.

“Aw man, are you ok,” Ailani chuckled, sitting next to Sabo.

“Yeah I…” 

His face then went serious, and he stared past the meat still in his hand. “My dad spotted me, and… we can’t go back there for a while.”

Ailani’s expression became very serious. “Oh? What would happen to you if you did.” 

“He’d try to drag me back, but I can’t go back! My parents don’t love me at all, they were only worried about what I could do for them.”

Ailani studied him, then stared at the floor, brow furrowed. After a moment she spoke, not looking up.

“How long... has it been since he’s seen you? Or anyone in or around the city?”

Sabo crossed his arms, looking up at the ceiling, thoughtfully. “Two weeks I guess? Maybe three?”

“We could test this, you know.”

“What?”

Ace sat up. “What do you mean?”

“Waddur yur mhn?” Luffy’s mouth was full.

She raised a hand. “I might have a way that will have your parents stop looking for you. If what you say is true, then it should work.”

“What! Really?” Sabo jumped up onto his feet.

Ailani pointed a finger up. “You will have to be in disguise, and Luffy and Ace can’t come with us.”

“What!” Ace sat up.

Luffy swallowed his food. “But whyyyy!”

Ailani shook her head. “You’d blow our cover. They’d see you two and there’s a chance they’d piece it together… Hmn.”

Ailani stood up and walked to her jacket, pulling out a piece of cream paper, and a pen. She came back and sat down.

“How about this. Sabo and I go in alone while you two wait in the forest just outside the garbage dump.” She tore the paper into four pieces, giving them each one. “We can communicate through these.” She squiggled some lines, a couple of dots, a ‘v’ and a small triangle. “Look at your papers.”

They looked down into their hands.

“WHOA!” Luffy and Ace jumped up. All the papers matched.

“It’s a cat!” Luffy crowed, hopping up and down in place. “Draw something else!”

Ailani shook her head. “That’s the only thing I can draw. Anything you write will show up on all the other papers. I will take them for now-”

“Aww,” whined Luffy as Ailani took it out of his hands. “I wanted to play with it.”

“I know. That’s why. You’ll be able to play with it as much as you want after the mission.”

“Mission? Wow!” Luffy’s grin almost consumed his face. “We’re going on a mission guys!”

Ace smirked, handing over his paper. “Ok. That’s sort of cool.”

“Sabo, do you have the clothes that they saw you in last?”

Sabo nodded. “I should.”

Ailani frowned slightly. “Were you wearing that hat?”

“I always wear this hat.”

Ace and Luffy nodded in unison. “He does.”

Ailani took a deep breath, putting her hands together in a steeple. “I’ll need it for the ruse… and I’ll try to get it back… but…”

Sabo frowned, taking off his hat. “I really like this hat. But…”

He held it out to her, looking very serious. “If it frees me from them I’ll do it.”

She smiled, pushing the hat back to his chest. “Keep it for now. If we are going to pull this off, I’m going to have to pick some things up, including your disguise. In the meantime, I’m going to have to ask you to take those clothes that your dad saw you in, and make them as dirty and damaged as you can but still recognizable. You think you can do that?” 

Sabo grinned. “Sure!”

“Great.” Ailani smiled back. “I’ll head out now, and aim to be back by dark.”

“What kind of disguise are you going to get?” Luffy bounced up and down on his toes in excitement.

She smirked and shot him a wink as she turned to the door. 

“The type of person they’d least suspect.”

 


	4. Dress Up

 

“I can’t go out like this.”

They were just about a mile from the grey terminal, and Ailani had helped Sabo prep his disguise.

“Why?” Ailani adjusted the blonde wig on his head and fluffed up the two little bows on either side. “No one will know it’s you.”

A pained expression graced his face as he lifted the sides of the rosey dress with white lace on the sleeves and hem. He stared at his matching pink suede boots. “Ace and Luffy will, and that’s what counts.”

“Wow!” Luffy peeked past the bushes, making Sabo jump out of his skin. “You really do look like a girl, Sabo!”

“What!” Ace burst through and promptly flopped on the ground rolling with laughter. “HAHA! Sabo’s a girl now!”

Sabo’s face went completely red and he looked down on the ground.

“HEY-HEY!” Ailani clapped her hands loudly, like a gunshot. All three boys froze in shock looking at her. “What’s so funny?”

Luffy and Ace pointed at Sabo. “Sabo’s in a dress.”

The giant woman’s eyes narrowed, accentuated by her wing tipped eye makeup. “And why… is that funny?”

Luffy and Ace looked at each other, confused. Luffy spoke slowly. “Dresses... are for girls?”

Ailani shook her head. “When clothes were first being made, everyone wore dresses and skirts because they were easy to make. Someone decided dresses were for girls. It’s all made up.”

Sabo looked at his dress. “Oh.”

Ace pointed at the dress. “But it’s pink.”

“Pink used to be used exclusively for boys until about a hundred years ago. People thought it was ‘too passionate’ of a color for little girls, and that girls should be kept in a ‘calmer’ blue.”

All three of the boys looked at her wide eyed and mouths agape.

Sabo looked at his dress, mouth scrunched up, “So I’m wearing something… manly?”

“Not in this day and age,” chuckled Ailani, bending down to adjust the dress. “But things change all the time, and what makes a man and a woman changes all the time, as people’s perception changes.”

“What’s ‘perception’?” Luffy asked.

“How people see things... Ok. Sabo! You are here to play a part.”

“Play a part?”

She nodded. “Acting. And I’m going to ask you to try to believe that you are this person. It will help it be more believable. Ok? You are my niece. You came with me to visit your friend in town, from boarding school. Now a name… Something easy for you to remember and respond to.”

Sabo put a hand to his chin thoughtfully, then looked up with a smile. “Sabine!”

Ace and Luffy snickered and Sabo spun around scowling at them.

Ailani smiled, “That is an excellent choice Sab…ine. It’s close enough to your real name that you shouldn’t have any problem responding to it. We will call you by this name until we leave to get you used to it.”

“Yeah, _Sabine_ ,” snickered Luffy.

“Nice dress, _Sabiiiinnne_ ,” drawled Ace, grinning widely.

Sabo clenched his fists at his side, gritting his teeth.

“Good, good, that’s the spirit; Sabine?”

Sabo sighed and looking up at Ailani. “Yes…”

She lifted a finger. “Now, we are going to go through some questions people might ask you. Now. They might ask other questions, but these might help you know what type of person you are supposed to be playing, and help you make stuff up.”

Luffy chimed in. “Like make believe?”

Ailani nodded. “Like playing pretend. Ready Sab... -ine?”

Sabo grinned, nodding. “Ready!”

“What are your most favorite things to do?”

“As… Sabine, right?”

Ailani nodded.

Sabo crossed his arms, closing his eyes and furrowing his brow. “Girly things… Girly things… Um... “ He made a face. “Dolls?”

Ace and Luffy bust out laughing behind him.

“Shuddup guys!” Sabo shouted. “You’re not helping!”

Ailani shook her head. “That won’t work, because that’s too much of a stretch for you. How about stuffed animals, because they are soft and you like animals. And you don’t like human dolls because their faces creep you out.”

Sabo perked up. “Oh! I like that! Dolls _are_ pretty creepy.”

Ailani smiled. “And you love animals so much that you want to be a veterinarian when you grow up.”

Luffy scrunched up his face, sounding out the word. “Vet-er-ni-ma-nar-eee-aaaan.”

“Nailed it.” Ace smirked.

“Vet-er-in-ar-ian,” corrected Sabo. “Means animal doctor.”

Luffy lit up. “That’s cool Sabo- I mean Sabine!”

“Ok! Let’s continue!” Ailani clapped her hands together much gentler than the last time.

“What is your most favorite stuffed animal that you are upset you left at home.”

His mouth made an “o” and he look down before lifting his head back up with a smile. “A tiger.”

“Named?”

“Skull-crusher,” Luffy added.

The other three answered in unison. “No.”

Ace looked into the forest thoughtfully. “Dandelion.”

Sabo tilted his mouth. “But it’s a tiger.”

Ace looked at him shrugging. “Makes it funny.”

Ailani pointed at Ace. “It is... really funny. That one has my vote, but it’s your choice Sabine.”

Sabo nodded. “Dandelions are flowers and girls like flowers, right?”

They nodded.

“Ok, I’ll let you figure out your ‘mom’s’ name, on your own. You are an only child. Your mom is an accountant on Nuei-Nuei Island, my home island. It’s lush and has large plantations of limes and vanilla. You don’t go in there because you are terrified of the giant land crabs that live in them.”

“Wow! Giant land crabs!” Luffy cheered. “Sounds yummy!”

She nodded, and continued. “The friend you are visiting is Mimi. You are very shy, and you don’t talk much to strangers. Mimi likes horses.”

Sabo nodded. “Mimi likes horses. My mom’s an accountant. And I live on a cool island called Nuei-Nuei with giant crabs. Got it.”

Ailani grinned, flashing her teeth. “I think we should be ready to go. Here.”

She passed out the papers to each of the boys, along with small pencils. “Don’t draw on them until after the mission is over. Write on it if you are in trouble. Got it?”

Luffy nodded, examining the paper with a large grin.

“Got it.” Ace took the paper offered to him.

“Sabine and I are going to where I left my boat. We are going to sail into port and go from there. Anything happens, we will send a message.”

Luffy looked up from the paper. “You have a boat? I want to see!”

Ailani went over and picked up her jacket and dusted it off before laying it on her shoulders in the traditional manner. “After the mission. Sabine?”

“Yes?”

Ailani grinned. “Auntie Lani needs to get some work done in the city before you can see your friend Mimi, you’ll have to come with me, ok?”

Sabo looked at her startled, and then smiled, adjusting his voice a little. “Ok Auntie Lani!”

Ace chuckled. “You might just fool them, acting like that.”

Sabo stuck out his tongue, following Ailani.

“Be good kids, don’t get too bored without us. And remember.” Ailani turned around, looking very serious. “If anyone sees you, and confronts you, asking about Sabo, you haven’t seen him for a week and are looking for him. Stick to that story, no matter what, because they will think you are lying to hide him. Say you saw him head towards the cliffs and then couldn’t find him.”

Ace nodded. “Got it. Lost him a week ago on the cliffs.”

“Good.” She nodded, waving a hand as she turned. “Wish us luck!”

“Good luck!” Luffy cheered.

Sabo waved and followed Ailani towards the coast.

 

Ailani had hid the boat, a large blue camo outrigger canoe in the forest. Sabo helped uncovering it, and Ailani easily carried it out to the ocean, one handed. She helped Sabo on and pushed it out into the water, jumping on, avoiding the water as much as possible. Ailani angled the sail, catching the wind, the boat heaving towards the city. Sabo grinned widely as the boat sped along the waves, spray catching his face.

“Sabine.”

“Yes?” He turned around.

“We are having this conversation in character.” Ailani made a ‘v’ with her hand, waving it between them.

Sabo nodded, readying himself.

“I’m sorry to bring you along with official business, Sabine, but I’d like to have you with me.”

“Oh?”

Ailani nodded solemnly, adjusting the sail with her arm. “It’s grisly affair, I wanted to warn you. There’s a noble family in the city that’s been looking for their son, about your age. And we think we found him, on one of the surrounding islands washed up on shore, badly decomposed.”

Sabo froze, a chill entering his body his throat tightening. “Dead?”

Ailani nodded, sadness seeped in her gaze. “That package over there are the belongings they found on him.”

Sabo turned and looked at the plain looking package. Ailani had placed his clothes in manila wrapping and tied it up with a string.

“What are you going to do with it?”

“We need them to confirm that this was their son. The body was damaged beyond recognition, but they might be able to recognize what he was wearing. It won’t be pretty, and you can leave at any time, ok? Just stay outside the building. We can pick up a stuffed animal on your way to see Mimi, maybe a second one, for her too.”

Sabo nodded, eyeing the large woman carefully. “She would like that.”

Ailani winked. “I think she would like that.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> Sabo & Sabine


	5. Death in the Family

  
  


They docked the boat without any trouble, partly because of the epaulettes on Ailani’s pristine white long navy issued coat, and partly because the blue sails on the outrigger had the large word ‘MARINE’ emblazoned on them. They then head from the docks, at Sabo’s direction, to his old home.

“Hold my hand,” whispered Ailani as they got close.

Sabo cheeks flushed slightly, but he took it. They took the familiar white marble steps up to the door.

“Ready?”

Sabo stared at the door solemnly, and nodded.

“Good.” She reached over with the hand holding the package and rang the doorbell.

They heard footsteps approaching, and an unlatching of the door. A woman in a black and white uniform greeted them.

“Can I help you?”

“Is the master of the house available? I have an update on his son.”

Sabo clenched the hand in his, and it squeezed back.

“He is, please come in. Wait in the parlor, please, while I notify him.”

The two of them entered the house, and prompted by the maid, entered the well furnished parlor. Hand carved furniture with smooth chiseled wood were positioned just so, and expensive vases dotted the room. Sabo’s hand traced the back of the loveseat. He looked up and saw Ailani examining the pictures on the fireplace mantle.

“Excuse me.”

They both turned. Sabo’s heart went into his throat. A tall, dark haired man with some weight forming around his waist, wearing a pristine black suit stood in the archway. His father.

“Can I help you?”

Ailani bowed. “Vice Admiral Mahi’ai, at your service.”

“A vice admiral.” His eyes widened. “I heard from the maid that you bring news of my son, Sabo. Please, come with me to my study… Who is this?”

His arm motioned towards Sabo, who gulped.

Ailani walked over, placing her hand behind Sabo’s head. “This is Sabine, my niece.”

Sabo did a small curtsey as he had seen countless times before, and spoke as softly as possible, not making eye contact. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“You’ll have to excuse her she is very shy.”

“Understandable, please follow me.” The man turned and Ailani patted Sabo on top of his head. He took a deep breath, and followed Ailani and his father upstairs.

The man sat at his desk, books lining the wall behind him. Ailani and Sabo stood in front of the desk. The man studied Ailani, steepling his arms on the desk.

“So, Vice Admiral. What news do you bring?”

“We found a body. A ten year old boy, washed up on Goat Island. It was in a bad state, but we were able to recover some possessions.” She held out the package. “I’ve brought them to identify if this was your son.”

The man’s eyes widened, his mouth open slightly, he looked at Ailani, and then the package. He grimaced and pulled out his handkerchief. “Well then let’s get this over with. Don’t let it touch the table.”

Ailani gently undid the string and unwrapped the parcel. There was Sabo’s hat. More crinkled and dirty than before, goggles cracked.

The man leaned forward, handkerchief over his mouth, and then leaned back in his seat, making a dismissive motion with his hand.

“You can cover it up.”

Ailani nodded, wrapping the items back up. 

Sabo watched the man’s expression. The man’s eyes focused on the corner of his desk.

“Those are my son’s possessions, at least the ones he left the house with. You said the body was..?”

“Thoroughly bloated because of the ocean water and partially eaten-”

The man waved his hand. “Ghastly business, no need to continue, thank you for not bringing the body.”

Ailani nodded. “Those of your station shouldn’t have to deal with these unpleasantries in person.” 

“Thank you for the consideration.” The man nodded.

Sabo felt lightheaded; his chest and throat felt tight, like a vice tightened on them.

“Darling?”

“Ah, Vice Admiral, this is my wife and our son.”

Sabo’s head shot up. There was his mother, another little blonde boy at her side.

“A vice admiral, how intriguing!”

“Sweetheart, the vice admiral has just told me Sabo has perished.”

“Oh dear, how awful.” Sabo looked at her, eyes wide, mouth opening to say something. 

“What a waste of time that was.”

He clenched up.

The man nodded. “This is why we had a back up plan honey. You see vice admiral, Sabo was always a problem. When he ran off to who knows where we had to take precautions. We adopted this little boy from a noble family who, due to unfortunate circumstances couldn’t keep him anymore. A shame really, but to our own benefit.”

“Thank you so much, father!” The boy’s voice was nasally and high pitched.

“How… good for you. I shouldn’t take any more of your time. I can take care of the paperwork for you, and make sure his death certificate is finalized. Did you want to keep his possessions?”

“That trash, no throw it out.”

“Understood. Sabine?”

Sabo was shocked back, and looked up at Ailani. 

Ailani’s eyes softened, and she offered her hand. “Let’s go.”

Sabo nodded weakly, and went over to her and took it, legs feeling like lead.

“Little girl.”

He froze. 

“Let me look at you.”

He turned slightly towards his father, not making eye contact. The man bent down bent down, examining him, eyes going over his face and body.

“You are... a good looking girl. You can use that to marry into a good family if you’re smart.”

He felt sick in his stomach feeling his father’s gaze stay on his body a little too long. He couldn’t breathe. Ailani’s arm went across Sabo’s shoulders and pulled him in front of her, blocking him from the man’s view.

“Thank you for your kind words, sir. We will trouble you no longer. Come Sabine.”

Ailani’s steps were harder to follow, and he stumbled on the steps. Ailani caught him with her other hand.

“I feel dizzy.” Sabo’s mouth was dry and his breath was shallow.

“Hurry.” Ailani all but carried him out of the house and marched him into the first alley she could find. There Sabo stumbled to a wall, and vomited, Ailani pulled back the wig hair from his face. He heaved two more times as tears started to pouring out of his eyes. His body heaved as he started to sob.

“Sabo.” Ailani bent down and taking a sleeve from her coat, wiped the vomit from his face. “I’m sorry... You didn’t… I really shouldn’t’ve...”

“No ...no. This is…”

She placed her large hand on the back of his shoulders, and he leaned in as she brought him in closer.

“This is good. I-it just let me know what I already knew, and…”

Tears bubble from his face.

“Why? Why does it hurt,  _ this much _ ? They are awful, awful people. I left them on  _ purpose _ . Hearing them and seeing them talk about me being dead and not caring - no, worse than not caring… they were relieved and… and to have them look at me and not even recognize me and... why am I feeling anything, anything at all? They are the absolute worst! I should… I should be happy. I’m free of them… I… Why am I crying?”

Ailani gave him a moment, his tears falling onto the pavement, before speaking.

“We can’t always... choose who our families are, and sometimes family is… just the worst... And even though they can hurt us, and cutting them out of our lives is the best things for us, it can still hurt... because they raised us. They were bad, but not all the time, and those moments cling onto us. The fact they might have loved us once, and we might have, if only for a short while, loved them back, can be very painful.”

Sabo turned into Ailani’s shoulder, clutching onto her shirt and sobbing with his whole body. Ailani wrapped her arms around him and place her head on his, rubbing his back.

After a few minutes, the sobs faded. Sabo let himself be held for a little while longer before pulling away slowly, wiping his face.

“We should... let Ace and Luffy-...”

“Oh right!” Ailani snapped her fingers and pulled out the paper. There was a little winky face with its tongue sticking out next to the cat. She smiled and pulled out a pen, and was about to write something down, but stopped and handed the pen to Sabo.

“You should.”

He nodded and put down in very neat writing: ‘I’m ok’ then after a moment he put: ‘this is Sabo by the way’. Ailani chuckled. After a moment very messy writing started to appear.

‘Hi Sabo! Luffy here! We had to run away from Bluejam’s Pirates not close to grey terminal now’

They turned to each other. Ailani crossed her arms. “Have them go back to the Bandit’s home. We’ll wrap up here.”

Sabo wrote down what he needed, and Luffy wrote ‘ok’.

Ailani stood up, taking the other sleeve of the coat to wipe the snot off of his face. “Let’s get your death certified. We’ll be able to pick up the paperwork in the City Hall. Do you know where it is?”

Sabo nodded, face red and blotchy, eyes puffy. “Yeah, follow me.”

Getting the paperwork was easy, filing it out was annoying, but it was done within an hour. The portly woman at the front desk, felt bad for what looked like a tear stained little girl, gave Sabo a pastry, a raspberry danish from her lunch. Afterward, Ailani paid a courier to take a copy of the death certificate to Sabo’s father.

They picked up some shish kabobs at a stall in the central district, and they ate as they walked towards the harbor.

“Hey Sabo.”

“Hmn?”

“You might want to change your name.”

Sabo stopped, brow furrowing thoughtfully. “You think?”

Ailani nodded. “If you and the boys start slinging that name around this might unravel.”

The boy nodded, the long hair of the wig, flouncing around his face. “That makes sense.”

They continued walking “Think on what your new name should be and…” Ailani looked at the bundle that she still carried. “Let’s hold a funeral.”

“What?”

She held up the bundle. “For Sabo.”

Sabo stopped in his tracks, staring at the bundle, before a soft smile crept onto his face. 

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

They went and retrieved Ailani’s boat, leaving the dock sailing back across the dark blue ocean around the island. Sun peaked in and out of spurts of cloud cover as they sailed along the cliffs. Away from the city. Away from his old family, that was as done with him as he was with them. 

Sabo felt lighter.

 


	6. The End of One Life...

 

“So do you want to be burned?”

“What? It’s just my old clothes, Ace, you’re creeping me out.”

Ace pulled away grinning, arms folded across his chest.

“That might be nice,” Ailani added. “Make it a viking funeral. Make a little raft, light it and send it out to sea.”

“Oh!” Luffy jumped up and down. “Or we can send it out first and see if we can light it up from far away, see if we can hit it!”

Sabo’s brow furrowed. “This is my funeral we are talking about, not a game. So disrespectful!”

Ace and Ailani laughed, Luffy just grinned.

“Have you thought of a name yet? You can take Skull-Crusher, since we didn’t use it for the stuffed tiger.”

Sabo rolled his eyes, “That will be my _middle_ name.”

“AWESOME!” Luffy whooped.

“I’m here for that.” Ailani lifted a finger, casting her vote.

Ace snickered. “Not taking _Sabine_?”

“NO.”

Ailani shook her head. “Too close to Sabo, anyways.”

They went through a few names, and after a lot of mulling over, Sabo decided on Pasha. They argued about the funeral until dusk, when finally they said, ‘heck with it’, viking funeral it was. With Ailani’s assistance they built a simple but sturdy raft, placing Sabo’s clothing and some flowers, including some dandelions (for Sabine). It was already dark when they brought it to the ocean.

“Does anyone want to say any words?” Ailani prepped the raft, securing its load.

“Huh?” Luffy came over. “To the hat?”

The other two boys came up to the raft.

Ailani chuckled. “For Sabo, it is his funeral, after all... I’ll start, I guess.”

She closed her eyes, one hand on the hat. “Sabo. I have not known you long, but I could already tell you were an incredible young man. You were very smart, you loved your brothers, and you had a good heart. Good luck in the next life.”

She opened her eyes, to see both Sabo and Ace’s eyes welling up a little.

Luffy hopped in place. “Me next! Me next!”

He placed both his hands on the hat. “Hat, I will miss you, being on Sabo’s head all the time-”

“LUFFY!”

“Shi-shi-shi just kidding!” He got a more serious look on his face. “Sabo. You were a dear friend, and a great brother. And even though I said I’d trust Ace over you, I don’t know if that’s true and I-...” His eyes started to well up. “I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!” And he started bawling.

Ace tutted, “Luffy, stop crying.”

Ailani smiled sympathetically, rubbing Luffy’s back. “Who’s next, Ace?”

“Fine. Move over Luffy, you’re making it wet before it hits the water. Sabo… Fuck you for dying-”

“HEY!”

“And… IloveyouhaveagreattimeorwhateverandI’m done.” He stepped away quickly, turning away.

“And that’s it?” Sabo looked at Ailani.

She shook her head. “No, it’s your turn. Pasha. Say goodbye.”

Sabo stared at her. Then the raft, and his items on it. He squatted down, looking at his old hat.

“Hey… Sabo? Uhm… Thanks for the good times, meeting Ace, then Luffy then…” He looked up at Ailani, before bashfully, rubbing his nose and focusing back on the raft. “Sorry for the bad times and I hope you find a better life and don’t forget us and… goodbye?”

He looked up at Ailani. “Is that good enough?”

“Pasha.” She put a hand on his shoulders and smiled. “It was perfect. Let’s send Sabo off. He has places to go!”

Ailani picked up the raft, looked at the three boys and nodded, before tossing it like a frisbee  beyond the surf.

“You have your slings ready?”

They brought their fashioned makeshift slings up to Ailani.

“I don’t know if this will work, or it it’s safe,” she grumbled underneath her breath and lit them.

They all aimed. Luffy’s went off first, and landed on the beach to their left. Sabo, or now, Pasha sent his over it, grazing the hat. Ace waited. His sling started to set on fire, burning his hand. Ailani started to say something, but eyes focused, Ace set it off. And lit the raft.

Pasha and Luffy cheered as the raft glowed with Ace’s victory. It seemed to dim before it erupted, making Ace join in the cheer. Ailani smiled as she watched the little light go up, then disappear behind a wave, before reappearing.

She looked at the boys.

“Pasha!”

The boy looked up from dancing around with Luffy.

“Welcome to your new life, Pasha.”

He grinned up his eyes, “Glad to be here!”

They all laughed and danced around, until they couldn’t see the light on the ocean anymore, then left back to go home.

 

“I have to go.”

“WHAT!”

Ailani placed her coat on her shoulders. She had cleaned the sleeves the night before, but one of them still had a slight tinge of yellow on the cuff.

She bent down to the boys. “I’ve spent two days here already, one day too many. Garp’s already left, I won’t be able to explain my absence if I stay any longer.”

Luffy’s face scrunched up and his eyes watered, lip quivering. Pasha, the boy formerly known as Sabo, turned his face away, mouth clenched. Ace started to look angry, before he turned away. “Whatever. Do what you want.”

“No you have to stay! You have to promise to come back! You have to!” Luffy tugged on her coat, tears bubbling out of his eyes, a stream of snot forming from his nose.

“Luffy,” Pasha spoke sternly, not looking up. “We can’t make her stay.”

Ailani bent down, enveloping her arms around Luffy.

“Hey.”

After a moment hugging Luffy, she spoke.

“Do you guys want to stay here?”

The three boys looked at her, Luffy rubbing his eyes. “What?”

She looked each of them in the face, taking a deep breath, and letting out shakily.

“It’s not safe for Pasha to be here anymore, and it looks like in a year or so all of you will be able to beat anything on this island. The only ‘training’ you get is from Garp and he doesn’t come over that often. It might be rough for you to transition, since it’s a Navy occupied island, and it’s a city but…”

Their eyes widened, Ailani took in another deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment.

“Do you-”

“Want to live with you?” Pasha completed.

Examining their expressions, she nodded slowly. “If you want to continue on this path you’ve decided on, you are going to need to learn how to sail, keep up a ship, along with a whole other host of things, that this island is ill equipped to teach you. You need stronger opponents and proper instruction to be able to succeed out... there.” She waved her hand out on the last bit.

Ace have her a funny look. “You’d help us... become pirates?”

She shook her head. “I’ll help you accomplish what you want to accomplish. I do not endorse pirates, because I have met too many that steal, murder and ruin people’s lives and… You three will never be those types of people, if I can help it. So, I will support you and help you with growing into strong, good men, as much as I can. And…” She shook her head, looking down. “I’m not perfect, and you might hate the city, and it won’t be easy but-”

“Let’s go.” Ace spoke.

Pasha almost jumped in surprise. “Ace! Are you sure?”

“Leave Dawn Island,” whispered Luffy, brow furrowed and frowning into Ailani’s shoulder.

Ace shrugged. “We were planning on leaving anyways. Just never thought…” He looked up Ailani with a mixed expression on his face, before looking away, slightly flushed. “We’d be going so soon.”

Pasha grinned at Ace, before beaming at Ailani who smiled back. “We’ll come with you if you’ll have us!”

“Lani.” Luffy place both his hands on either side of her face. She looked at him as he stared intently at her, before his face burst into a wide smile. “We’re living with you now!”

The boys cheered. Ailani’s tried to subdue her smile as she looked away, embarrassed.

“Well, pick up anything you have that you feel you need to take. I’m going to let Dadan know we are on our way.”

They whooped and hollered their way upstairs. Ailani walked into the common area to see a few bandits sitting around the fire pit, and Dadan lounging, turned away, a tendril of smoke rising from her.

“Madam.”

“Vice Admiral.”

“The children and I are leaving.”

“That’s not any of _my_ business.”

Ailani bent down in a low, respectful bow. “Thank you for taking care of them.”

Ace watched from the stairwell.

“Whatever.” Dadan waved, not turning around.

Ailani placed a bottle of rum on the floor, and went outside. There was a small envelope tied to the cap.

The three boys stampeded down the stairs.

“Bye Old Lady,” cheered Luffy as he ran out the door. “Thanks for the food!”

Pasha snickered as he followed Luffy. “Thank you for a place to stay.”

“Good riddance, glad to get rid of you.” Dadan answer back as the two boys laughed and disappeared.

Ace stopped at the door frame, looking out to his brothers and the large muscular woman who they were talking to. He turned to look at Dadan, and bowed.

“Thanks for taking care of me.”

Then he sped out the door.

Dadan let out a soft sob, teeth clenched as tears came down her face.

“Goodbye you little punk.”

 


	7. And the Start of a New One

They helped Ailani uncover the outrigger and stock up the boat. Luffy climbed the mast multiple times. Ace and Pasha wanted to push the boat out by themselves. It took a good amount of effort on their part, but they were able to push the large outrigger from the beach into the water. Ailani tossed the boys in before making the jump on herself. The sails filled, pushing the outrigger away from the beach, up over the surf. She explained what she was doing with the sails and the rudder as the waves evened out. Luffy, up on the mast again, looked back at the shrinking island.

“It’s getting so small now.”

They all looked back. It was the size of an olive. Then a pea. Then a dot. And it was gone.

The boys stared for a moment, serious.

“You ready to go to the Grand Line?” They looked up at Ailani. She had pulled her hair into a side bun.

“Grand Line? What’s that?” Luffy grinned.

“That’s where Merrow Island is, the financial center of the Navy. It’s just northeast of Marineford.”

Pasha raised a brow. “Are we going there all the way on this boat?”

Ailani shook her head. “I’m just borrowing this outrigger for my objective here in the East Blue. The Navy warship I took across the Calm Belt is docked in Shells Town. There’s a Navy Base there.”

“A warship!” Pasha’s eyes widened.

Ailani chuckled reassuring them. “You are my… guests, wards, foster- I don’t know… Either way, they won’t bother you if…”

She scanned them, looking at their outfits. “Hmn. We might need to get you new clothes.”

Ace picked his tank up off his body. “What’s wrong with these clothes?”

Ailani shook her head, “They’re fine, a little worn, great for training in. We should pick up a few outfits that are a little more polished. If you look like you belong on the ship, people are less likely to hassle you.”

Ace glared to the side. “Pst. That’s stupid.”

“Fair. But if something as easy as putting on a different set of clothes makes things go easier...”

Ace glared. “Maybe I don’t want it easier.”

Ailani narrowed her eyes. “There’s a time and a place for that. Let’s pick our battles, shall we?”

Ace huffed and looked away.

Ailani looked past them, out towards the ocean. “We should be reaching the Yotsuba Island Region in a day or so. We can get you guys set up.”

Luffy’s stomach growled, and he placed a hand on his belly.

“I’m hungry.”

Ailani grinned, “Well, we have provisions there, and after we all snack, maybe you can all try your hand on catching us some fish.”

Ace, Pasha and Luffy lit up.

“Fishing!”

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. Luffy almost flew out of the boat when a giant fish snagged his line, but everyone caught him. There was a rainstorm that night, rain fell in a thin sheet with only mild thunder, that wasn’t even close to them. The boys slept well in the hull, tarp covering them. They made their way into port mid-morning, sailing in between large Navy ships. The boys looking up in awe, but Ailani seemed to pay no mind. As she came upon a shorter dock, a man dressed in whites and a classic Navy cap came jogging up.

“Ahoy there! Did it sail smooth for you?”

Ailani nodded, smiling at the man. “Like a dream, thanks to the sea stone lined hull - very handy.”

The man chuckled, “Was surprised you wanted to take that one, but oh well… Who are these? Recruits?”

The boys looked up a him. Luffy frowned, opening his mouth to correct him.

Ailani waved the idea away, grabbing a large duffle, and passing a few of the leftover food items packed into boxes to Pasha and Ace.

“No, they’re coming with me. Anyway, thank you for the boat.”

“Not a problem Vice Admiral.” He saluted.

She nodded and beckoned the boys to follow. The boys watched the man as they passed. He gave them a wink and then went about untying the boat from the dock to move it to another location.

Ace kept an eye on the man as they walked toward the town, before turning around and jogging up to the rest of them.

“He was weird.”

“Hmn? That Petty Officer? Well, so are we.” She smirked at him as he caught up.

“I guess.” Ace started looking at the people and buildings around them. It was a less compact and more laid back place then the city, but definitely more built up than Foosha.

“Alright!” Ailani stopped. The boys went a few steps in front of her before spinning around. “Here are some ground rules.”

She lifted a finger. “No stealing. Want something, ask me. Two! If you want to start a fight, let me know first. Ok?”

“Two rules, that’s pretty light.” Ace commented. Pasha and Ace nodded to each other.

Ailani shrugged. “Pretty basic. We’ll figure out the rest as we go. Ok, I think... clothing shops are... that way.”

 

After finding the appropriately sized clothing wear, Ace ended up with a bright zigzag pair of shorts that were actually his size, a fitted graphic tee with a chest pocket, and new bright yellow boat shoes. Pasha picked up some checkered jean shorts, a polo with a tiger on it and flip-flops. Luffy picked out a panda bear onesie and Ailani did not stop him. She did convince him to also pick out a tee with a dog on it and matching shorts with paw prints on the pockets. She picked out jeans, jackets and extra shirts for each of them as backup. The three boys picked out sunglasses, Luffy’s looked like little suns, Pasha picked bright blue round ones, and Ace grabbed a tiger striped pointy pair.

They ate dumplings and rice bowls before heading to the base. She had a brief conversation with the commander, while the boys sat outside of the office. She exited just in time to catch them throwing the fake fruit from a bowl on the table. All items replaced to their proper place, they went their way down to the navy yard, where they approached one of the large ships docked there. Ailani greeted the two men guarding a ship, they saluted, and let her know the captain should be back soon, and shouted at one one of the chore boys, a light slim boy, slightly taller than Pasha and Ace to show them to a spare officer’s cabin. It was a small room with a port window with a fold out couch and a bed.

Ailani hung the duffle bag up on a hook. “Ok, while we are here, try your best not to bring up the pirate... stuff.”

“But it’s who I’m going to be.” Luffy was bouncing on the bed.

“I believe you, it’s your truth, but... if you tell them right off the bat that you are going to be, I don’t know… the next pirate king or something, they will most likely make very incorrect assumptions about you. So you. Three.” She pointed at them. “Try? Try not to bring that up?”

Ace side-eyed Pasha. Pasha looked at him. Luffy frowned, crossing his arms.

“No promises.”

Ailani looked at them, mouth forming into a line. “You’re not going to make this into a peaceful journey for me, are you?”

The boys grinned at her, when there was a knock at the door.

Ailani opened it, revealing a bearded man, dark hair with a pipe in his mouth and a deep navy captain’s hat, with gold detailing.

“Captain Polluck.”

The man grinned. “The one and the same. Glad t’have yah back. Was gettin’ a lil worried there.”

He glanced back at the boys who were watching him behind Ailani.

“And who be accompanin’ yah on y’journey back?”

Ailani turned back to the boys. “These are my wards.” She motioned to each of them. “This is Pasha, Ace, and the youngest, Luffy.”

“Only by three years.” Luffy puffed his cheeks out.

Ailani grinned and the captain chuckled.

“All that’s well ‘n good. Surprised, but, eh y’never can tell. You and the lads be up for joinin’ me fer dinner tonight? Got a lot t’catch yah up on.”

“Would be a pleasure. One thing. I’ve been sailing for near close to 18 hours, and would appreciate a touch of rest. The boys have never been on such a large vessel. Is there anyone that they’d be able to... maybe not get into too much trouble with, to show them around, you think?”

The man rubbed his beard, ruminating for a moment before nodding. “I think I have jus’ the lad. Jones!” He yelled out, turning his head. A man in typical navy whites stepped in view.

“Sir?”

“Grab the chore boy, the new one - Kim? Cory? Know it’s a ‘k’ name...”

“Kaku?”

The captain snapped his finger, pointing up in the air. “That’s the one! Kaku or whatever, have ‘im come up and show the vice admiral’s boys around. Now, they won’t b’causin’ too much trouble, will they?”

All four answered in unison.

“No promises.”

The man lost his footing for a moment, before belting out a hardy laugh. “Well I guess young Kaku’ll have his hands full, won’t he?”

The other man vanished, and Ailani and the captain chatted for a bit, the captain updating her on various tidbits and issues in the Grand Line and elsewhere. Pasha and Ace started throwing pillows each other and Luffy continued to hop on the bed laughing at them until a pillow pegged him in the face.

“Sir?”

The captain turned revealing the boy that had shown them their quarters. He had wide round eyes like Pasha and long squarish nose, strawberry blonde hair pulled back into a bushy ponytail underneath his white marine issue cap.

“Ah, Kaku, these are the Vice Admiral’s boys. Would ye be able t’show um the ship? Never been on a navy vessel like this.”

The lean boy, slightly older than Pasha and Ace saluted. “Yes sir.”

Ailani gestured towards the door. “Alright, don’t have too much fun without me.”

“G’night!” Luffy chirped as he bounced off the bed and to the door.

The boys exited the cabin and Ailani ruffled Ace’s hair on the way out. He made a face and she stuck her tongue out at him, making him grin.

“I shouldn’t keep any more ah yuh time.” The Captain tipped his hat and exited the cabin with the boys.

 

Ailani closed the door, and stretched her arms, a hand touching the metal ceiling, staring out the porthole. She dragged her hands over her face slowly, and plopped face down on the cot. She covered her face with a pillow, mumbling into it.

 

“What _the fuck_ am I doing?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dem boiz.


	8. Underway

Ailani felt a pressure on her back before a small hand touched her face. The ship shifted and waves crashed against their exterior of the ship. They were underway.

“Lani.”

She opened her eyes, and Luffy’s mouth morphed into a large grin as he crouched on top of her back, removing his hand from her face. He was still wearing the panda onesie, but had pulled back the hood with the ears. She lifted herself up, hand pulling back her hair from her face as she looked around.

“Where are the other two?”

Luffy slid off, flopping onto the bed. “Hanging out with Kaku.”

She looked at him. “Why aren’t you with them.”

He shrugged. “They told me I would get them caught.”

“Like now?”

“AH!” Luffy crossed both his hands over his mouth.

Ailani chuckled, shaking her head as she stood up, redoing some of her braid. “Panda’s aren’t made to camouflage. Maybe we should get you a leopard or a ferret one if we can find it.”

“Really!” Luffy removed his hand, revealing a big grin. “I can be more animals?”

Ailani nodded. “Absolutely. Any one we can find.”

Luffy cheered jumping in place, doing a little dance.

“Ok you monkey, lets go find your brothers.”

“Wait! I’m a panda. No wait. _I am_ a ‘Monkey’! Shi-shi !”

She couldn’t suppress a chuckle at the half panda bouncing on the bed. “Well, let’s collect your brothers.”

He nodded and hopped down, jogging to the door and opening it. “We ate in the mess hall.”

“Oh?” She followed him as he bounded out into the hallway.

“Yeah! There were so many big guys and they let us eat as much as we wanted and even sang a song for us!”

“Did they,” chuckled Ailani, following the boy who kept turning back periodically, walking backwards.

“For being a mess hall it was very clean.”

“That’s good.”

Luffy frowned. “I thought it was a hall to make a mess in.”

“And did you make a mess?”

The small boy’s face stretched into a grin. “Yup.”

Ailani smirked. “Of course. Bet the cooks loved that.”

“They chased us out.”

“Of course.”

“They should rename it if they don’t want it do be messy.”

“Oh? What would you call it?”

Luffy put a hand up to his chin. While walking backwards his shoulder ran into a corner. “Oof.”

“Maybe look where you’re going when you’re thinking?”

“Shi-shi!” The dark haired boy turned around and took wide strides, looking at the floor. “It could be caaalllleeed… Food Stadium.”

Ailani chuckled. “What else?”

Luffy hummed, looking up to the ceiling, eyes closed in concentration. “Eaaaating Eatery?”

“Nice, nice. More.”

“Aaaaaahhhh Munchery.”

“Nice-nice-nice, another?”

“Food-a-palooza.”

“Love it, that’s what it should be called from now on. Sealed.”

Luffy lit up. “Really? Wooo-hhoooo! Food-a-palooza!!!”

Ailani covered her mouth subduing her laugh as he turned away hoping down the narrow hallway.

“Down here!”

Ailani looked down the narrow stairway down to the closed bulkhead door. “Hmn. And you’re sure they went down here?”

Luffy nodded. “Yup! Kaku told us about it and said that we’re not allowed to go in there so Ace and Pasha wanted to go. Well, me too, but...”

Ailani nodded. “Sounds about right. Follow me, but don’t stick your fingers in anything. I don’t want you to lose them.”

Luffy grimaced and hid his hands under his armpits, following Ailani down the steps. Ailani reached the bottom and Luffy ran into her, concentrating on walking down the steps while his arms were safely tucked away. She looked back at him, and he grinned up at her. She slowly turned the wheel to unlatch the door. It creaked slightly as it became free, and Ailani put a finger to her lips looking back at Luffy. Luffy put on his hood on, one panda ear upright and the other slouched, put on the paws attached to the wrists of the onesie, and lifted a paw to his mouth.

“Shhh...” He whispered.

Ailani stared for a moment, lips clamped together. “Too cute.”

“Fierce!”

“Cute.”

She turned the wheel the rest of the way and slowly opened the heavy bulkhead door. Luffy peeked in, paws on the doorframe. Ailani stepped in. Luffy clambered in after her. She hooked the door open with a cord that was hanging on the wall.

“Wow,” whispered Luffy. “They’re so big.”

The nearly all of the space was filled to the ceiling with machinery. They could here some humming out of view, but the machines around them seemed dormant.

Ailani nodded. “This is the engine room. These are auxiliary engines. They will be turned on once we enter the Calm Belt. Come on. It’s going to get a lot louder. Watch your fingers.”

Luffy snapped his paws under his armpits and followed the large woman through the cramped space and meager walkway that weaved around the machinery that filled up the space.

It got louder the farther back they went. A deep thrumming came from a large cylinder tank.

“Water reclamation.” Ailani nodded to it.

“Oh.”

“Makes drinking water out of water that’s not safe to drink.”

“Like seawater?”

Ailani nodded as they continued, dipping under a pipe that Luffy was able to walk under easily with 3 feet clearance.

It got even louder, and Luffy pulled back his panda eared hood, sticking his tongue out. “Hot.”

Ailani nodded in agreement, speaking over the noise. “We’re getting close to the main engine and generator. If they are anywhere, it’s there or the office or storeroom.”

It got too loud to talk when they reached the engines. The machines thrummed, their parts whirling and pistons pumping. Ailani kept checking back on Luffy, who was staring but keeping his paws under his armpits. She waved until he looked at her. She pointed to a closed door with the sign ‘Storeroom’ above it. She opened the door to see the shelves mostly intact, and closed it after Luffy entered. The noise of the engine room was muffled, but not by much.

The shelves were filled with rivets, bolts and assorted engine parts, large and small. It was in slight disarray, but nothing out of the ordinary. Ailani peeked in between the shelving, while Luffy picked up a sizable nut from a tray of bolts of the appropriate size and put it on his pinky finger like a ring, grinning.

“Let’s check the office.” Ailani pointed to the back of the storeroom.

Luffy struggled to pull off the nut, finger stretching his full arm length, before it went flying, pinging off one of the shelves, Ailani catching it before it hit her in the head.

She looked down at him, brow raised.

Luffy rubbed the back of his head. “Shi-shi-shi sooorrrrryyyyy! Stuck on my finger.” He showed his now reddened finger.

Ailani turned away quickly hiding a smile, placing the nut on the desk by the office door covered in assorted parts and charred metal pipes.

She turned the handle of the office door, opening it in one swift movement.

There was a gasp from inside, as three boys in various stages of fight or flight, looked up at giant woman filling the doorway.

 

“A-admiral!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Panda boi.


	9. Ship Shape

 

There was a gasp from inside the Engine Storeroom office, as three boys in various stages of fight or flight, looked up at the giant woman filling the doorway.

Blueprints and schematics lined the walls and shelves, and worn and dented metal desk and chair sat at the entrance.

Pasha was in front of a schematic splayed out on the desk, the two other boys on either side of him.

“A-admiral,” stuttered Kaku, the slightly older chore boy, saluting and straightening his back.

“You know this is a restricted area.”

“Y-yes I know and-”

“We kidnapped him.” Ace interrupted the taller boy, crossing his arms.

Pasha looked over at Ace and then to Ailani, nodding. “Yup. Stole him and made him- forced him, to take us.”

“He couldn’t do anything about it.”

“Nope, nothing. Overpowered him.”

Ace pointed at Pasha. “That’s right. _Overpowered_ him.”

The navy chore boy put down his hand slowly, looking at both of them. “You know how unbelievable that sounds, right? You two are like three years younger than me.”

“We teamed up on you.” Pasha stated.

Ace pointed at Kaku. “Two against one. Not a fair fight.”

Kaku put his arm to his side and looked down. “Well that’s not exactly wrong. You did sort of gang up on me. You are very convincing.”

“Oh?” Ailani crossed her arms and putting on the best straight face she could muster. “So did these two ruffians from Goa, subdue you, Kaku?”

Kaku shrugged helplessly. “In a way? I still broke protocol.” He bowed. “I take full responsibility.”

Ailani looked the young teenager, barely taller than Ace and Pasha, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Hmn.”

Luffy peeked in. “Hey guys!”

“YOU!” Both Ace and Pasha pointed at Luffy, the shock almost making the younger boy fall over.

“Why did you tell on us!” Ace bared his teeth.

“I didn’t!”

“Well why is Ailani here?”

“I was booooored!”

Pasha frowned, crossing his arms. “Kaku’s going to get in trouble because of you.”

“Noooooo!” Luffy’s eyes started to tear up.

Ailani lifted both of her arms for them to stop.

“Do you know why this area is restricted?”

The boys all looked at each other. Ailani continued.

“Because it’s easy for someone to seriously damage the ship by tampering with the engine. It’s the most sensitive area of the ship… Speaking of… there should be at least one person in the area at all times.”

She looked back into the storeroom frowning. “This is a separate issue that will be addressed.”

Ace raised his hand. “We told him the captain was looking for him.”

Ailani turned back. “He should not have left the engine room regardless. There needs to be certified personnel attending the engine at all times. I’m sort of glad you guys broke in, this is a major security gap. So what’d you find?” She pointed at the schematic.

Pasha looked down, then brightened. “This is a blueprint of Engine 4! If you look here, you can see where they’ve taped on the upgrades.”

Ailani walked over and traced her hand on the schematic. There was a raised area, and she peeled it back to see that there was a slight alteration and addition.

“Let’s take a look.” She rolled it up, and dipped out of the office.

The boys inside shrugged and followed her. They went out into the engine room, back towards the entrance. Ailani unravelled the schematic, looking at it, then back to the engine.

Sabo went on his tippy toes and peeked, before pointing up and to the back. “It’s on the other side.”

“Oh.”

They walked around the engine to the narrow space between the hull of the ship and the dormant engine. It was a tight fit for Ailani, the back of her head leaning against piping to fit, some strands from her hair getting stuck in the fittings. Sabo trotted ahead and pointed up. Ailani, after freeing her hair, lifted a hand and traced the soldering that attached the new piece.

“Hmn.”

“Hello?” A voice echoed from the other side of the machine. “Anyone here?”

“Back here.” Ailani answered, still observing the alterations.

After a few audible footfalls, a man with a bushy grey mustache in a dirty deep blue boiler suit peeked past the dormant engine.

“Ah!” He looked over the children, then spotted vice admiral. “AH!”

The four boys waved at him.

Ailani spoke, not looking from the schematic. “Why was this engine altered?”

“Ah, Vice Admiral! Uhm er… Let me get back there… Excuse me boys…” He shuffled around past them as they moved out of his way, and he took out a slim pair of spectacles. “Oh this! This engine is a different make from our two main engines, and takes a different load. The old one was replaced last spring. Unfortunately this one had a problem releasing heat irregularly, so they added that bypass system. There was a ship out in the North quad that damn near exploded.”

Ailani nodded and rolled up the schematic. “And why wasn’t this caught during prototyping, did any word come down?”

The man shrugged. “Same reason as always, I reckon. The Navy asks for new engines, demanding them sooner, faster. Steps and tests are skipped to save time and get them out within quota. That’s what happens when you demand results without knowing what’s put into it.”

“So the engine is stable now? Ace, don’t touch that, you don’t know what it does.”

Ace huffed and took his hand off of the valve knob, crossing his arms and leaning against the engine. Pasha grinned and Luffy giggled, paws still tucked under his armpits.

“Mmn. Haven’t had any issues for 6 months or so, since they went in and did that little work around. I believe most of this type have been outfitted since the end of last year, and all the ones not installed in ships have been fixed too.”

Ailani handed the schematic to the man in the boiler suit.

He took it, eyeing the boys in confusion. “Err… There’s usually a protocol about being in the engine room-...”

Ailani nodded. “Yes. I asked Kaku to test our security measures, so his time with my… boys wouldn’t be wasted. Seems I picked the right seaman for the job.”

She smiled at the man shifting nervously in his boiler suit.

“Er.. yes that’s… The captain he… oh… I see.” He suddenly looked very downtrodden.

Ailani shook her head. “No, you’re not getting a written reprisal. This was something to make my mind at ease. Kaku is very unassuming so he was the perfect candidate. If something prompts you to leave the engine room, as long as it’s not flooding or about to explode - obviously, please reach out for a replacement.”

“Will the captain hear about this?”

“Absolutely.”

The man sunk down again.

Ailani continued. “This isn’t to get you in trouble. If _you_ did it, then I’m sure others would too, this is an issue that has to be addressed. It’s a... learning… opportunity.” She motioned vaguely.

“I should have known better.”

“Sure. But now you know even better. Now. My boys and I have to…” She steepled her hands and pointed past the man.

“Oh sure, sure.” He stepped out of the way.

The four boys filed out, Kaku bowing apologetically to the senior officer, and Ailani, carefully angling out of the cramped area.

Luffy waved to the man as they made their way out and up the stairs out out of the engine room. The door closed behind them and latched.

When they reached the hallway, it was already lit by rectangular lights attached to the walls. The clouds through the porthole were lined in pink, the horizon darkening.

“Vice Admiral.” Kaku looked down at the floor by his feet. “Why did you lie for us?”

“It’s called improvising.” Ailani crossed her arms, examining all four of the boys. “Do you know why rules are put in place?”

The boys glanced at each other shrugging.

“It’s not to get you in trouble. They are usually there to keep people safe. The engine is restricted, not only because the machines can injure you if you’re not careful, but because if the machinery is tampered with it might cause irrevocable damage to both the ship and the people on it. But you should know that that was the reason.”

She crouched down to become more level with the boys. “The fact that you didn’t know why the engine room was restricted, meant you couldn’t prepare for the dangers it could pose.”

The boys nodded, Luffy eagerly, Ace in acknowledgement, Pasha and Kaku bent their heads down a little ashamed.

A smile softened her face. “Not all rules are like that, and not all rules have good reasons behind them. Some no longer apply, but people don’t question them because they are rules. Question rules. Know why they are there.”

Kaku looked up, brow raised. “Question rules?”

“Don’t be an ass, but yeah.” Ailani shrugged. “The more you know about why things are the way they are, the better decisions you can make. It’s not the easiest way to go, and people don’t usually like being questioned, but it is the best, or at least the most thorough way to be. It’s easy to follow rules. Less thinking involved.”

Kaku nodded, a smile forming on his face. “I can do a better job if I know why I’m doing what I’m supposed to do.”

“Yup. So. You boys ate already. Did you want to join me with the captain anyways, or hang out with Kaku some more? You’ll have to let him do his duties though, or the other chore boys will probably get jealous.”

Ace gave her a look. “Jealous of what?”

She reached over and ruffled his hair as he tried to squirm away. “Jealous of him hanging out with such cool kids like you while they have to go do all their work plus Kaku’s.”

The chore boy bowed his head, the brim of his hat hiding his face. “Yeah… they wouldn’t... like that very much.”

Ailani nodded, before looking towards the other three. “So what’s the plan.”

Ace grimaced. “If we go with Kaku, would we have to do chores?”

Ailani shrugged. “It would help him wrap up faster. Who knows, you might make it more fun.”

“Make chores fun?” Luffy frowned deeply, disapprovingly, brow furrowed.

Ailani grinned, looking down at the wood panelled deck. “If anyone can make chores fun, it would be you three.”

This made them smile. Pasha grinned. “If we get bored, we can do something else!”

Ailani nodded. “Just ask Kaku to bring you to the Captain’s quarters or head back to the cabin if you get tired. Ok?”

“Ok!”

“Yeah!”

“Woo-hoo!” Luffy jumped up.

Kaku scratched the side of his face sheepishly. “Well, I don’t know how fun it will be, but let’s head to the galley.”

The boys trotted down the hall and out of view, their voices echoing back behind them. Ailani turned, smile not leaving her face as she shook her head and started towards the opposite side of the ship.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Dat boi Kaku.


	10. Troubled Waters

 

“-and the pirates spotted in the area?”

“The usual riff-raff, nuthin too alarmin’ but…”

Ailani looked up at Captain Pollock, fork hovering halfway to her mouth.

The dark haired bearded man put his utensils down on the table. “The Sun Pirates seem to be headin’ generally towards our path, it might be nuthin’, but there have been reports.”

Ailani took a bite. “Fishmen might cause a problem.”

“Aye mam. ‘Specially with…” He motioned vaguely with his fork. “Thuh younguns on board.”

Ailani glanced over at him, chewing and maneuvering a potato onto her fork with her knife.

The captain continued. “Now if you dun mind me askin’. And it’s fine if yeh don’t, it’s yer own personal business...”

Ailani put a forkful in her mouth, chewing, eyes focused on her subordinate.

“I’ve worked under yeh for ‘bout two years and worked with yah fer even longer… Why these boys? It’s a lil out of the blue, out of the East Blue, actually.”

Ailani swallowed and chuckled at the last bit, placing her fork and knife down. “I’m not sure, actually.”

“Not sure,” scoffed the man, “that’s unlike you Ailani.”

The larger woman raised a brow. “Isn’t it?”

The man shook his head with a cocked grin. “Nay. It ain’t. We come across a lot of vagrant mongrels, and there are a lot of them, too many, for sure. Why these three?”

She looked away steepling her hands together, intertwining her fingers. “I just... knew they couldn’t stay there. Everything else… well.” She winked over at Pollock with a smirk. “I’ll have to figure out.”

“Indeed.” The captain leaned back an lit his pipe, taking in and letting out a puff of smoke. “I have t’ tell yah… These kids are smart, that much is sure.”

“They are.”

“Means they’re gunna be a whole _basket_ of trouble.”

“They are.”

“You up for that, Vice Admiral?”

“We’ll see.”

“That’s the spirit.”

The both chuckled, Ailani shook her head, and went back to her dinner.

 

After drinks and some more casual discussion, Ailani made her way back to the cabin. Through the portholes, the ocean was black, the light of the overcast crescent moon lined the black waves with a faint outline of greyish purple. She made her way through the ship to the cabin. She opened the door slowly, peeking in. The boys had piled onto the floor with blankets, with the exception of little Luffy who was flopped diagonally on the bed, partially on and partially off. She propped the door open letting in a little light from the hallway and went to work. She picked up the boys on the floor and placed them on the bed, Pasha turned to his side, but the other two hardly moved where she left them. She folded out the couch, pulled one of the sheets from the boys, and placed three pillows. She transferred Ace, and then Luffy, fishing a potato peel out of his hair and tossing it in the cabin’s small metal waste bin. When she picked up Pasha his eyes opened slightly.

“Mneh is morning…?”

“No Pash. Bedtime.” She put him down next to Ace, adjusting the blankets around him, taking off his flip flops off along with Ace’s shoes. Luffy’s were still on the bed.

“Shoes...” He watched her put the shoes on the floor next to the couch, against the wall.

“Shoes.”

“..’Night.”

“Good night.”

He closed his eyes, bringing the blanket up to his chin.

She searched through her duffle bag, pulling out fresh clothing, and went into the adjoining bathroom to get ready for bed.

 

Four days travel went smoothly.

Ailani wore a high collared blouse with billowing sleeves and high waisted navy shorts with gold buttons and matching boots while on the ship. She always had her coat affixed to her shoulders and her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail.

On the evening of the second day they reached the Calm Belt. There, the two auxiliary engines roared to life, and the normal rumble of the ship became even louder. With Ailani’s permission, Pasha was able to follow one of the Assistant Engineers, the one in charge of maintaining the water reclamation systems, Diesel. He was a 20 year old brown haired man, with a short scraggly beard and a hangover. They had found the smallest boiler suit they could find and rolled up the sleeves and legs for Pasha to wear. The man, though nursing a headache, answered all of Pasha’s questions and tried to go over the systems as best he could. Pasha came back that day with black grease smeared across the side of his face and hair and the largest smile he could muster.

All three boys spent a lot of time on deck, in the crows nest or climbing the rolled up sails with Kaku. They investigated nearly every nook and cranny on the ship, and ended up talking or greeting every crew member. With a rare exception of Ace almost starting a fight with a lieutenant over the man saying how Gol. D Roger was a coward, and asking the man what if the pirate king had a child, the days went smoothly and the boys kept their pirate plans under wraps. Luffy would cover his mouth or his brothers would do it for him any time he would start, much to Kaku’s befuddlement over what the issue was.

 

It wasn’t too early in the morning on the 7th day out and Ailani and the boys were getting dressed and ready for the day.

“It’s your birthday?” Ailani looked away from the bathroom mirror to the middle boy, eyeliner hovering in her hand.

Pasha looked up from pulling on the bottom half of his boiler suit. “Yeah, that’s not a problem, is it?”

“Let’s celebrate!” Luffy yipped, arms extended up.

Ailani took her notepad from her coat hanging on the wall and wrote down the date. “And your birthdays?”

“May,” yelled Luffy.

“May what?”

“Fifth!”

“Ace?”

“New Years.”

Ailani looked up. “Really? January first?”

“That’s the only New Year’s I know.”

Ailani nodded. “The only one that stays the same every year at least.”

Ace gave her a look, but she continued, pocketing her notepad.

“Everyone suited up?”

“Yup!” Pasha zipped up the navy boilersuit, grinning.

“Yeah!” Luffy mirrored the action with his panda onesie, but pulled the hood over his head as well.

Ace grinned at them, then turned to Ailani, nodding. “Ready.”

“Breakfast.”

“Breakfast!”

The entrance to the mess hall had a makeshift sign stating “FOOD-A-PALOOZA” over the mess hall placard, as they entered. It was well after shift change, and there were only a group or so of crew members in the room, all stood and saluted when they saw Ailani. She dismissed them and they went back to what they were doing. Luffy waved at all of them and most of them waved back. The boys all trotted up to the food line. Ailani went over to the mess hall officer at the end of the line and started to talk to him. The boys had the cooks pile eggs and biscuits onto their plates, before sitting at a benched table. Ailani followed with her own share a moment after.

“You can stop to breathe every once and awhile.”

Luffy, Ace and Pasha looked up, cheeks chipmunked to the max.

Ailani chuckled and looked down, adding sugar and cream to her coffee.

As she took a sip and the boys tore into their first meal of the day, a Seaman First Class, ran full speed into the mess hall, sliding along the floor, making everyone turn. He sprinted up to the table saluting quickly.

“Vice Admiral, the Captain needs you up on deck immediately.”

Ailani’s eyes narrowed as she took another sip of her coffee, standing up from the table.

“Understood.” She grabbed a biscuit, pointing at the boys. “The rest is yours.”

Little Luffy brightened up, and moved the plate closer to him. Ace and Pasha kept their eyes on Ailani as she disappeared from view, shoveling food into their mouths at an increased pace.

 

“What’s the situation.” Ailani walked up to Captain Pollock on the top deck.

The man glanced at her, puffing on his pipe, before looking out to sea. “We got a report in. Three vice admirals were able t’ambush the Sun Pirates on Foolshout Island, a lil while ago.”

Ailani frowned, crossing her arms. “That’s close to here.”

“Fisher Tiger was able t’escape, though severely injured, as well as the majority of his crew on a Navy vessel. ‘ere.”

He passed a hefty spyglass to Ailani, and pointed out 40 degrees portside. There was a dot in the distance. Ailani lifted the viewer to her eye, and focused. It was a Navy ship in poor shape, ripped sails and a battered hull. Ailani put down the spyglass.

“Bring us a mile out then lower the skiff.”

Captain Pollock’s eyes widened. “Vice Admiral!”

Ailani smirked, condensing and handing him his spyglass. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Who are the Sun Pirates?”

The two superior officers looked over. The younger of the three boys was still stuffing his face with biscuits, while the other two walked over to the railing, looking over to where they the dot lay in the distance.

Ailani nodded to the Captain who started shouting orders, the seaman at the helm turned the wheel, and the ships started to turn to port.

Ailani went over to the railing, leaning on it with the two boys.

Ace looked up to her. “Are we going into a fight?”

Ailani sighed, looking at the ship’s wake. “Maybe. I’m not sure.”

“Who r des guysh.” Luffy spoke through biscuits, as he peeked above the railing.

Ailani looked out towards the shape in the distance, steadily coming closer.

“Fishmen. Their leader, Fisher Tiger, attacked the World Government capital, Mary Jois. The government’s been after him ever since, and by extension, the Sun Pirates.”

Pasha leaned further across the railing to still be able to see the ship while their vessel turned. “The government’s capital? What was he trying to do?”

“The news reports wouldn’t tell you, but… he was there to free slaves.”

All three boy looked up at her. “Slaves?”

Ailani nodded, staring at the water. “It’s technically illegal to own and trade people. But with rules and regulations somehow not _applying_ to the Celestial Dragons, the practice persists. Fisher Tiger went to the capital and freed the slaves currently held there. There are rumors that many of his crew are freed slaves.”

Pasha stepped away from the railing. “Then why are you going to fight them, if slaves are illegal, then he didn’t do anything wrong. The Celestial Dragons are the ones who are wrong.”

Ailani put her hand up and then motioned down. “Volume level. Come here.”

Pasha and Ace looked around at the crew milling around the ship and moved closer to Ailani who crouched down.

“You are right. But in attacking the capital, he attacked the seat of the government. The Navy is an arm of the World Government.”

“But he did the right thing.” Pasha frowned.

“Yes and no. No one should be owned by anyone else or treated as property. But storming the gates and freeing all those people, though admirable, and many of us, countless of us in the Navy, wished to do the same… It doesn’t solve the problem, the real problem.”

Ace interjected. “And what’s that?”

Ailani met his stare. “He was the only one. He was the only one after all this time that’s done it. Somehow, after seeing it innumerable times, by generations of people, people let it slide, somehow it is all still acceptable. Maybe it’s because it’s not happening to them. They convince themselves that it happens to OTHER people. Unwise people. People who _asked_ for it in someway, by being in the wrong class, that were different, that looked a certain way, being in the wrong place at the wrong time… But that’s not it. It happens to _all_ people. People, from all walks of life, of any age and any station. No one is safe… and things have to change. The perception of the World Government needs to change before the problem is fixed, _really_ fixed. Many of us are working, in our own way to make it happen. It’s not fast. And the results are not as flashy as Fisher Tigers, but there are countless people working against this... more and more everyday. When people see the effects of these Celestial Dragons first hand, and realize that the people suffering are just like them, can be them, then their anger is stronger than their fear.”

“Vice Admiral. We’re lowering the skiff.”

Ailani nodded to the Seaman who saluted and left.

“Why are the Celestial Dragons so powerful, do they have special powers?” Luffy, wiped the crumbs from his face, then dragging his hands on the sides of his onesie.

Ailani shook her head. “They’re just people. Someone down the line, most likely their ancestors decided they were in charge. They are only in charge because everyone allows them to be.”

Luffy nodded. “So it’s made up, like dresses.”

Ailani and the other two boys laughed. Ailani nodded, grinning. “Yeah. Like dresses.”

The large woman turned to where they just finished lowering the small boat from the deck.

Ace spoke up. “What are you planning to do?”

Ailani sighed. “Confirm if Fisher Tiger is alive or dead. Make sure they don’t attack the ship. You can ask Captain Pollock about the Sun Pirates and their M.O.”

“‘M.O.?” Luffy frowned. “Moe?”

“Modus operandi. The way they do things. Or in this case, how they take and overwhelm ships. They’re fishmen, so they are much faster then we are in the water.”

Captain Pollock waved from the side of the ship, Ailani waved back. She turned and winked at the boys. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck!” Luffy parroted back.

The three boys followed her to the edge and watched her as she went down to the small motorized boat, unrigged it, started it, and disembarked away from the ship. The boat sped away towards the thumbnail sized ship in the distance, white coat dancing behind her as the skiff bounced over and through the waves.

 


	11. Blood Bonds

“What do you mean you don’t want to get a transfusion!”

“You lost too much blood! You’re gonna die if you don’t get one!”

“The Boss’ blood type is rare! No one in our crew has the same blood type.”

“The blood stock on this Navy ship must be… human blood.”

“That’s right. But we share the same blood. We can use it to save you!”

“No! I’d rather die than live with their blood! Their blood is filthy, I don’t want to owe them anything! I don’t need mercy from them! I don’t want to give in to humans!”

“Boss!”

“If you you can’t think of any better reason to take that transfusion, do so out of spite.”

The pirates all turned to see a large, tan, uniformed woman standing on the deck behind them. Her blonde and pink hair tied back, loose hairs drifting in the breeze, along with her long white coat. They readied their weapons.

“Fisher Tiger!” The woman yelled, looking past them. “Do you know… how quickly it took the Celestials to replenish their supply of slaves?”

“Replenish..?” The fishmen’s captain looked up from the table at the woman, tall enough to tower over some of the fishmen in his crew.

“Majority of the slaves that you freed haven’t been caught, but about 15% were recaptured, some executed, some of them personally by their former masters. They already have almost half of their original amount, give or take. New slaves. How long has it been? Three months?”

The Sun Pirates were all taken aback.

Fisher Tiger winced, but managed to glare from where he lie.

“What, have you come to gloat?”

Ailani shook her head. “The Celestials would have all of their original number of slaves, or even more, if it wasn’t for your efforts out at sea. Your job isn’t over.”

“I’m not-”

“You think your life is yours?”

Jimbei glared and Arlong bared his teeth, the rest of the Sun Pirates around her seethed as she took a step forward.

“What do you mean?”

“After a stunt like that, do you think your life still belongs to you? You may not have realized that it’s not yours to give away anymore. It belongs to the slaves you freed."

The anger dissipated from the Sun Pirates' captain's pained face and his eyes widened, jaw going slack.

"It belongs to the people on Fishman Island, and children that now look up to you there."

She took another step forward, the Sun Pirate crew parting to make way for the large woman.

"You think you have the right to  _ decide  _ not to live? What will they do when they find out? What will your crew do? Your life is as much theirs, as it is yours.”

Tiger looks around at his crew, that all now looked at him.

“What’s his blood type?”

Aladdin looked up at her. “B Negative.”

Ailani smirked, lifting the side of her coat, and unbuttoning her sleeve. “You’re in luck. O Negative.”

The fishmen looked at the navy officer in shock as she walked through them, into the open room.

She looked down at orange striped fishman on the table, his eyes wide.

“You may not take blood from these donor bags, but would you take it from me?”

Fisher Tiger watched her, eyes welling up with tears, before he nodded, closing his eyes. Aladdin quickly sprung, hooking Ailani up and attaching the bag to his Captain.

“I hope it’s not too late,” grumbled the ship’s doctor, pushing on her arm as the red fluid flowed to the bag and then transferred to the other tube.

After a few tense minutes, Aladdin checked the wounded fishman, and smiled.

“It’s working.”

The crew out on deck and in the room cheered, with the exception of Arlong and Jimbei, both who stood, arms crossed on either side of the room, waiting and watching the navy officer intently.

Tiger opened his eyes. “Why are you helping us?”

Ailani chuckled, closing her eyes. “My… sons would be sad.”

“What?”

“My three boys. Luffy, Pasha and Ace. They think you did the right thing. They would be sad if you died.”

Tiger smiled and closed his eyes. “The next generation… will change everything.”

Ailani opened one eye. “Don’t put it all on them now, you’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“Oh? Haha- Ow!”

Aladdin came and bonked Tiger on the head with an open hand. “No laughing! You’ll open up your wounds.”

Ailani looked up to the ceiling and frowned. “This might be a good time for you to lay low for a while. The navy is just going to go after you and your crew even harder from now on.”

Fisher Tiger sighed deeply. “What is there to do?”

“You might… want to have your crew spread word that you  _ did  _ die.”

“What?!” Both Jimbei and Arlong cried out. The crew around them started to protest.

Ailani flexed the hand with the IV. “The government doesn’t want your crew. They want you. They might lay off if they think you died.”

“And if they don’t,” grumbled Jimbei.

Ailani looked over, eyeing him carefully, before a small smile curving onto her lips. “I think you’re strong enough to figure something out.”

“It wouldn’t work. My face is everywhere.”

Ailani looked at Fisher Tiger, studying him. “Your face is but… I think people know so little about fishmen, we might be able to give you a disguise.”

“What?”

“You aren’t too attached to being orange, are you?”

Tiger looked at her aghast. “I’ve… I’ve never thought about it before?”

She looked over at Aladdin. “Can you reach into my coat and pull out my transponder snail? I don’t want to make any sudden movements with those tough guys over there.” She winked at Jimbei who looked away, huffing. Arlong sneered.

As Aladdin pulled the snail from her coat, Ailani stared intently at ship’s captain. “Can we agree that you died today? Would you be willing to lay low for a year or two, while your crew takes care of things from here?”

Tiger nodded. “I agree.”

Ailani nodded back and picked up the transponder snail. It rang and a beard and navy hat appeared on the snail. “Ay?”

“Fisher Tiger’s dead.”

There was a commotion of young voices in the background. She continued.

“Blood loss. None of his crew had his blood type. They weren’t able to get a proper doner in time.”

“Didn’t the ship have extra blood supplied?”

“It’s a rarer blood type. Looks like they hadn’t restocked it.”

“Are yeh able t’get back?”

“Yes. Give me 15 minutes.”

“Ay-ay. Pollock out.”

She put the transponder snail in her coat. “I’m taking out a pen and paper.”

She slowly and visibly took out her notepad and pen, showing it to the room. “I’m going to put down coordinates. I suggest you stop a league or so away and swim the rest. Go to the back side of the island, you’ll see a sea cave. Enter there, and take the goat path up to the house at the highest point of the island. Ask for Baba Tutu. Give her this.”

Ailani ripped a piece of paper from the notepad, folded it and handed to Fisher Tiger. The coordinates were written on top.

“Doc?”

Aladdin looked at the navy officer.

“I’m going to need an orange juice or a granola bar or something after this.”

“I’ll get it.” Jimbei got up and walked past, giving her prolonged eye contact as he went to the next room.

As soon as Jimbei was out of sight, Arlong lifted himself off the wall and strolled over.

“And what makes you think we would fall for this trap?”

Ailani raised a brow as she sat up, motioning towards Aladdin and then tapping her arm. Aladdin nodded, taking the needle out, passing Ailani a bandage.

“Alright, you got me handsome. What exactly am I trying to accomplish?” She secured the bandage on her arm.

The fishman sneered, coming right up to her. “You're trying to get the all glory of killing and defeating the Sun Pirates for yourself. Better yet, you are trying to get us all captured and enslaved. I know your kind.”

“Do you?” Ailani met his gaze, brow still raised, unperturbed.

“Arlong!” His captain growled. “Settle down. If she wanted to get rid of us, she would have just done it. Hell, all she would’ve had to do was absolutely nothing.”

Arlong bared his teeth, and face inches from hers. Ailani did not break eye contact, eyes narrowed, fixing her sleeve.

“Arlong.” Jimbei appeared in the doorway with a bottle of juice and a pound cake. “If you’re going to kiss her, just do it and get it over with.”

Arlong jumped away, spinning to face the other fishman, hands forming into fists. “Don’t be stupid!”

The crew laughed, as did Tiger.

“No laughing!” Aladdin bonked his captain lightly on the head.

Tiger rubbed his head, frowning at his doctor. “I thought you wanted me to heal, not hurt me.”

“I can’t heal you if you keep being stupid,” growled Aladdin.

Their captain stopped mid chuckle as Aladdin raised his hand again. He turned to Ailani who opened the juice from Jimbei.

“What’s the name of this island?”

She looked around the crowded room and took a sip. “I don’t know how tight lipped your crew is or I’d tell you.”

The crew didn’t like that.

“What do you mean by that!”

“We would die for Boss!”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’d be putting myself in even more of a risk than I already am.”

Jimbei watched her carefully as she started on the poundcake, the noise of the crew getting rowdier.

“Enough!” He held out his arms. The crew silenced. “The less info we have, the less we can give away, if only by accident.”

Ailani finished the cake, dusting off her hands before chugging the orange juice. She stood up, wiping the corners of her mouth with her hand.

“I’m out. Tiger-” She met his gaze. “I’m trusting you. And your crew. What are you going to do with that trust, I wonder.”

Arlong scoffed, crossing his arms. “We didn’t ask for it.”

She glanced at him smirking. “And yet I gave it nonetheless… Gentlemen.” She bowed slightly, before making her through the dissipating crowd.

“Hey!” Tiger called out after her.

She stopped, looking back.

“What’s your name?”

She smiled and winked, before turning around again and walking outside, disappearing from view.

Arlong spat. “Untrustworthy.”

Jimbei glanced at Arlong, before making his way out. He went to the edge of the ship, and watched as a small boat pulled away, and as it head towards the navy vessel in the distance. He looked back at his captain being helped up by their doctor. A small smile formed on his lips, that split into a grin as he looked back at the retreating skiff.

“Alright! Let’s get moving!”

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the wonderful comments! Shout out to Noelle and shoutinthedark for some phenomenal comments yesterday! You really got me goin'; postin' a little early probably because of you! Thank you again!


	12. Reactions and Misunderstandings

Ailani attached the hooks to the skiff, checked the lines and signalled to the crew above her. The boat rose slowly up from the water. When it reached the top, she was met by Captain Pollock, arms crossed, chewing on the tip of his unlit pipe.

“A heck of a mess, yeh left me with, Mahi’ai.”

She glanced around. “Where are the boys?”

“They started makin’ a fuss when they heard the news. Had to ‘ave Kaku escourt ‘em to yer room.”

She stepped off the skiff onto the railing and down onto the deck. “Resume course to Minnow Island.”

“Y’shouldn’t ah told um about Tiger.”

“I feel that I was very clear that he might be dead.”

“No. About what he did.”

She examined the captain. He brought a lit match to his pipe.

“About Mary Jois?”

He nodded. “Is gunna cause a bit ah trouble later on. ‘Specially if word goes around. They’re rascals, yeh got yer work cut out for yeh but… they’re straightforward, honest boys. They won’t keep their mouths shut about their ‘pinions. That will cause um a whole lotta trouble, and you by extension.”

He he puffed the pipe, and let out a cloud of smoke. “That’s jus’ m’opinion. Jus’ worried ‘bout yeh, is all.”

The vice admiral and captain stood in silence. Crew rushing around them, getting the skiff secured. The ships started to turn.

“I’m heading down.” She walked to the door down below deck, crew weaving around her. “I’ll send Kaku back up, and write up my report after I speak to... the boys. I’ll pass it by you before sending it headquarters.”

“Ay-ay.”

The captain watched as the vice admiral disappeared from view, the smoke rising from his pipe starting to be pushed away by the changing wind.

 

“-but he was a pirate-”

“He did the right thing! Doesn’t matter who he was!”

“You can’t just let pirates go-”

“Maybe he wouldn’t have been a pirate if the rules were different!”

Kaku looked down at his shoes, bringing his lips into his mouth, brow furrowed.

“Cabin Boy.”

He looked up at the large woman at the door. She snapped her fingers and pointed behind her with her thumb. “Out. Gotta talk to my boys. Back to your duties, they need you up top.”

The boy stood up, saluting, then hurried past her, looking back one last time before the door closed.

“Lani it’s not fair!” Luffy stood on the bed, hands made into fists, eyes red and puffy from crying.

Ace sat, legs pulled up to his chest on the couch. “Is this is what the Navy is like? Is this what they do? Kill people that try to help people?”

Pasha was leaning next to the porthole, arms crossed, looking out it. “So he’s really gone? Was there nothing anyone could do?” He looked at her, uncrossing his arms and balling his hands into fists. “Did it really have to be an exact match? Some blood types can donate to other blood types, right? They knew that right?”

Ailani’s eyes softened. She walked over and sat on the bed next to Luffy, hands on her knees. She looked at the boys dower faces and let out a huff. A small smile lifted the corner of her lips as she shook her head. She spoke slowly and deliberately, voice low.

“I am… unwisely and not recommended in any way… going to share with you something that should not, and will not leave this room. Understand? Failure to do so might not only put my life at risk, but yours.”

The boys’ expressions morphed from anger to surprise, then serious with a dash of curiosity. They looked at each other and nodded back at her.

Luffy knelt beside her on the bed, placing a hand on her arm, looking up at her. “You can trust us Lani.”

She lifted her arm and brought him into a side hug, nuzzling his hair with her face. “I know I can.”

She released him and turned to the other two boys, keeping her voice low. “Fisher Tiger… may or _may not_... be dead.”

The two older boys’ eyes widened, while Luffy’s face scrunched up.

“You are or you aren’t dead. It’s simple?”

Ailani lifted a hand up. “For the sake of this ship, everyone on it, and everyone you meet outside of this cabin... Fisher Tiger is 100% _absolutely_ dead. His crew will attest to this, hopefully. In here, with the three of you… I can tell you that it is _not_ as certain.”

Pasha moved up closer. “But you saw his body right?”

“I did.”

Ace joined in. “So you could tell he was dead, _for sure_. Like, you’ve seen a dead body before.”

“I have seen a dead body before, _for sure_.”

“So you’d know if he was dead.” Pasha’s brow furrowed.

“I would know if he was dead, yes.”

“SO WHAT IS THIS ABOUT IS HE DEAD OR NOT!” Luffy yelled, exasperated, hands flinging up.

“Shhh-sh-sh-shhhh!” Ailani lifted a finger to her mouth, then his. “ _Quiet_.”

Pasha’s face slowly lit up as an idea dawned on him, and he whispered as he went in even closer, right beside Ailani’s leg. “So he’s dead… like Sabo?”

Ace did a quick double take of Pasha then Ailani, then Luffy back to Ailani, before it clicked, and he moved in closer, to Ailani’s other side, mouth forming into a grin. “What? Really!”

She reached and pulled Luffy and the other two boys together into a huddle, making direct eye contact with each of the boys. “ _Exactly_ like Sabo.”

Luffy pointed at Pasha and then thought for a moment, before his eyes and mouth opened wide as he turned to Ailani. “He’s… he’s dead like-...! Like when we started calling-”

Ailani put her hand to his mouth, and nodded.

The boys cheered, and Ailani motioned down again. “Not so loud, not so loud. Fisher Tiger is still _dead_. Understood? Remember what I said?”

The boys nodded in unison.

“Dead!” Pasha grinned.

Ace chuckled, closing his eyes and shaking his head a little. “Dead.”

“Ultra, ULTRA dead!” Luffy beamed.

“That’s right. Assuming his crew don’t screw it up… that means today would be...”

Ailani’s eyes widened and she looked down at Pasha. “Your birthday!”

Pasha’s eyes widened, teeth bared. “Yeah! I totally forgot!”

“I’m going to get some things ready. You three! Find something fun to do until 5:00. Meet me in the Mess-... the Food-a-palooza.”

Luffy cheered. “Food-a-palooza!”

Ace grinned. “Do you need any help?”

Ailani turned and blinked at him a few times. “Help?”

“Yeah, like,” Ace shrugged looking away. “It’s Pasha’s birthday.”

“Me too! Me too!” Luffy bounced on the bed.

“Pasha, do you-”

The birthday boy laughed. “It’s alright! You can get ready for my birthday. I’ll find something to do.”

Ailani raised a brow. “Do you want me to help you find a book, or..?”

Pasha shook his head. “Mm-mn. I’ll be fine!”

Luffy belted out in a sing-song way as he bounced on the bed, and then bouncing off of it and ran to the door.

“Let’s- get- rea- dy! For Pa- sha’s Birth- day!”

Ace pat the back of Pasha’s shoulder as he followed Luffy out the door. “We’ll be back soon!”

Ailani winked at him as she exited the cabin. Pasha waved, grinning as the door closed.

He huffed, still smiling.

 

“So, dead like Sabo, huh?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Noelle and Nike for your comments last chapter, and all those of you that have left your Kudos for this work! Thank you for your support!


	13. Happy Birthday Pasha!

Pasha spent a half hour or so in the cabin, browsing a beat up engineering textbook that Diesel had let him borrow before venturing out. It seemed like crew on the ship either sped away from him with things in their hands when they saw him, or wished him various versions of ‘Happy Birthday!’ and ‘There’s the Birthday Boy!’ He went down to the engine room and saw that the bulkhead door had a handmade paper sign “PASHA KEEP OUT- Until further notice.”

“Don’t they know that makes me want to go in more?” The blonde haired boy stared at the door and sighed, starting back up the stairs.

“Pasha!”

Pasha looked up to see a familiar cabin boy waving at him from the top of the narrow staircase.

“Kaku!” He grinned and bound up the rest of the way.

The older and only slightly taller boy fidgeted with his feet, looking down, hand at the back of his neck underneath his bushy ponytail. “So I wanted to apologize for earlier, you seemed really upset and I didn’t know what to do…”

Pasha shook his head. “It’s ok, Ailani talked to us about it, and it’s… it’s good now.”

Kaku brightened, looking up. “Really! That’s great to hear… I was worried you didn’t want to… spend anymore time with me.” He looked back down, his hat’s brim covering his eyes.

Pasha frowned. “Why’s that?”

“Well, because,” the older boy shifted a hand to his hat brim, covering his face a little more, “you didn’t really seem that happy with the Navy just then, and you all sounded pretty angry and… I was wondering if you didn’t want me around, is all.”

Pasha smiled and walked over, putting his left hand on the cabin boy’s left shoulder, standing beside him. “You’re our friend now, we wouldn’t want that. I’m sure Luffy and Ace wouldn’t want that either.”

The boy tilted his head a little. “Are you sure?”

Pasha laughed a little. “I’m sure I’m sure.”

Kaku let out a deep breath, and looked up smiling. “I’m glad. Oh!”

He dug in his pockets. “This is for you. Happy Birthday!”

It was a little wooden ship that fit in Pasha’s hand that sort of looked like the one they were on. There were little pieces of fabric glued on to be the sails.

“I carved it a couple of months ago, I was hoping you might like it.”

“This is great!” The blonde boy’s smile grew to fit half of his face. “You made this?”

Kaku leaned back, puffing his chest up a little, smiling. “Yeah! I like ships, have ever since I could remember. Don’t usually have parts to make a real model on this ship, but I can usually pick up a piece of driftwood and make something out of it.”

The birthday boy beamed. “A great gift to remember our trip! This is perfect, thanks Kaku!”

Kaku laughed, looking away bashfully. “It’s not that great.”

“It is! Ace and Luffy will love to see this.”

“...ah.. ok.”

“Let’s put this in the room so I don’t mess it up!”

Kaku nodded, and the boys took off to the cabin, and then out to the deck until Luffy and Ace found them, closer to five.

All four boys made their way to the now called “Food-A-Palooza,” where Pasha was greeted with a cheer. The room had streamers of spiraled paper cresting from the ceiling, and the table in the center had a blue tablecloth covering it. Pasha was pushed over to the table by Luffy as the crew in the room started to sing a sea shanty birthday song, and as he sat down, with Luffy and Ace on either side, the three cooks carried out a large sheet cake with an emergency candle lit on one side. As the song concluded, the cake placed on in front of Sabo with the candle facing him. The cake seemed to fill the whole table. Ailani came up from behind, bending down and placing a hand on his back.

“Make a wish.”

He closed his eyes, grinned and blew out the candle.

The room erupted in a cheer. The cooks cut the cake, passing the first piece to Ailani, and she passed it to Pasha, this repeating two more times, passing one to Ace and another to Luffy before she finally kept a piece and stepped away to sit with the boys.

It was a simple cake made from the what the ship had in storage. Lemon flavored, with a simple sugar icing. Pasha enjoyed it better than all the cakes he had growing up. Crew filed in and out, relieving each other of duty until everyone on the ship had a piece.

Diesel came up. “Sorry for keepin’ ya out of the engine room, it’s just… was tryin’ to get this ready for ya.”

The disheveled assistant engineer pulled out a tool belt, holes punched in the leather, and excess cut off to fit an eleven year old.

Pasha took the belt reverently, eyes shining, staring at it, before quickly unbuckling it and putting it on. It had a few worn but usable tools already attached.

“Now don’t go takin’ apart the ship now,” gruffed the captain, finishing off his slice of cake.

Pasha ignored him and just grinned at the belt around the waist, examining everything in the pockets

Luffy took a bite of some left over cake. “Can I borrow it?”

“No.”

“Awwww!”

The whole room laughed.

Ailani place a hand on Pasha's shoulder, and he looked up.

“Good?”

“GREAT!”

AIlani chuckled. “We’ll pick you up something from us when we dock.”

Pasha shook his head. “You don’t have to, this is perfect! All of this is really good!”

She ruffled his short curly blonde hair. “Maybe I want to.”

Ace spoke up. “I’ll take his present if he doesn’t want it.”

“Meh too,” muffled Luffy, already back on cake.

Pasha narrowed his eyes at them. “In that case yes, I will take that present.”

The room laughed, as Ace snickered, Luffy continued eating and Pasha… Pasha had a really birthday.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Figured this is such a short bit that I would add it onto today's update. Thanks crew!


	14. Welcome Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, this Slice of Life chapter is a little longer than I expected.  
> Thanks to Noelle who commented last time and everyone who showed their appreciation with Kudos!  
> I appreciate yah!

 

They arrived at Minnow Island three days after Pasha’s birthday.

The boys were called out on deck and sped past Ailani and the captain to the front of the ship, leaning over the bow. In front of them was an island with a city sprawled out in the lowlands by the coast and partially up the cliffs, windows from the buildings glittering in the sun. Behind the city rose a high forested plateau. The navy ship went through the only opening of the vast sheltered bay, open curved metal doors in front and heavy concrete walls on either side worked into the natural stone walls of the cove. The entire span of the crescent shaped coast was converted into a port, the residential and Navy sides clearly divided. Warehouses, ferries and merchant ships on the left, and Navy vessels on the right, in front of a Navy base. It was a stouter complex than the one in Shells Town and only slightly taller than the buildings around it. Its white was noticeably less bright and vines grew across its side, like it was trying to hide itself from view. The turret openings and cannons still clear and ready for use.

The ship pulled into one of the empty docks in in front of the base, crew on the ship throwing ropes down to the Marines on the dock. The twenty or so men secured the ropes, slowly pulling it towards the dock before securing the ship. The gangplank was put out and secured. Ailani, with a large duffel bag under her arm, signaled the boys and started her way down. The boys rushed after her, before stopping midway on the gangplank, stumbling a little bit and tripping over themselves. They rushed back to pile on top of Kaku before racing back after the Vice Admiral.

They went through the multiple arches into the base and into a courtyard. Ailani waved to man in a long white Navy coat smoking a cigarette on the upper pavilion as they passed through the courtyard. Marines milled past her like water around a boulder, going to different areas of the base and docks. The man on the second story waved back lazily, pulling away and out of sight. Ailani didn’t miss a stride, the boys jogging to keep up with the large woman’s brisk pace. They entered a hallway that led from the back of the courtyard and exited to the the left side of the base.

“We aren’t staying at the base, Lani?” Luffy ran up in front of his brothers.

“Hell no. The Navy’s Financial Center is up by the cliffs. I have a place closer to where I work. I used to live at the base when I was Commodore there. The man who waved is the current Commodore.”

Luffy nodded and hung back a little, closer to his brothers, looking out towards the cliffs that started to grow as they got closer.

The roads curved, making their way to the city center, where a large fountain sat in the middle. The city’s buildings were primarily jewel-tone painted brick, two to three stories tall, blockish and closely packed together, with the exception of municipal buildings such as the town hall and library. Those were in an older more stately style, marble pillars and large stone carvings of fish out on either side of their stairs. In front of the library was a small park where people walked their dogs and other animals. The boys stopped to pet a large floppy looking sheepdog that the owner said was friendly. Too friendly, as it proceeded to flop on top of the boys, trying to lick them into oblivion.

Ailani waited for them on the side. “Luffy, you're small enough you could probably ride that thing.”

“Battle dog!”

Ace snickered, pushing out of the way of the licks. “Only if you expect him lick people to death!”

They had their fill and wiggled away laughing. They ran back trying to wipe the slobber off of their faces as best they could. Ailani stopped on the way and put in an order for delivery at a restaurant stall. The boys picked out what they wanted, maybe a little too much. Ailani paid, and they started off again.

Ace trotted up. “They’ll take that food to your house?”

Ailani nodded. “We ordered a lot of food, so it will be ready after we’ve settled in. I don’t have any food at the house... I’ll have to go to the market tomorrow.”

As they came even closer to the cliffs, Ailani pointed to a wide three story white building at the top of the hill as they turned left into a side street. It had a patch of lawn with a few manicured trees with a modest stone sign with the Marine insignia out front. It wasn’t very remarkable or interesting otherwise.

“That’s the Financial Building.”

Pasha jogged behind her, looking at the building. “That’s where you work?”

“Yup. That’s where you’ll find me, usually. After I clear your room, I’m planning on dropping by to get an update.”

“Clear?” Ace raised a brow, looking at her.

“I’ve… been using that room for storage.”

They made their way a little way back down, before Ailani stopped and walked up the stairs of one of the many rectangular three story buildings and opened the door. She stepped inside, keeping a hand on the door.

“Come on in. The apartment’s just up the stairs.”

The boys walked in. There was a door down the hallway next to the stairs.

Luffy pointed at it. “What’s that?”

The large woman closed the outside door behind them, looking up. “That’s the housekeeper’s apartment.”

Pasha raised his brows. “You have a housekeeper?”

Ailani waved her hand as she made her way up the stairs. “We have an arrangement. They take care of the place once a week and I let them rent the place downstairs for cheap.”

“You own this building?”

“Yeah.” Ailani fished her keys out and worked on unlocking the door. “I used to rent this apartment, and the owner lived downstairs. She asked if I wanted the building, so I bought it from her.”

“Why did she want to leave?”

Ailani paused for a beat and opened the door.

“She was moving in with her son. Didn’t want the responsibility anymore.”

The boys followed her in. Ailani took off her boots and put them on a bench right beside the door.

“Shoes off.”

The boys piled their flip flops and shoes next to Ailani’s boots. There was a kitchen to their left, with a couple of open sliding doors on the right side, a room with a table and a window beyond them.

“Is there anything in the fridge?” Luffy peeked into the kitchen. The cabinets were up a little higher, the counters and island were a little taller, a little oversized to fit Ailani large form.

“Nothing good at this point.” Ailani put down the duffel bag by the stairs. Ace and Pasha investigated the other room. A couch sat in the middle of the room, beyond that was the round table and a window behind it. The sliding doors on the left opened up into the kitchen.

“Oh! A piano.” Pasha weaved past the couch to an upright piano against the wall.

Ailani turned back from hanging her coat up on a hook on the staircase wall. “You play?”

Ace trotted over to Pasha’s side, and Luffy jumped onto the couch, watching, leaning against the arm.

Pasha pulled out the bench and sat down, lifting the key cover. He wiped the dust off his hands onto his shirt.

Ailani walked over, chuckling. “I don’t even know if it’s tuned anymore.”

Pasha’s hands hovered over the keys for a moment before he started quickly tapping of the keys with both hands. It was the same little melody repeated, and Ailani leaned in whistling a slow melody of the key notes going high and low. The boy went into a more complicated bit but stumbled and stopped, laughing and putting a hand behind his head.

“Messed up.”

Luffy jumped up and down on the couch and bounded over. “That was great! I didn’t know you could make music Pasha!”

Ace punched him in the shoulder, smirking. “Another secret you kept from us.”

Pasha rubbed his shoulder, frowning at the piano. “Not really a secret. My fam-... the people from before had me take piano lessons. Thought it would make me… more desirable.”

Ailani sat down next to him, scooting him with her side. “I used to play when I was younger too. My mother she…” Ailani looked at the keys intently before shaking her head, smiling.

“...well anyways. Want to play Chopsticks?”

“Yeah!” Pasha beamed at her.

They did a set, then Luffy wanted to do it. Ailani and Pasha were then able to convince Ace to give it a go, before there was a knock at the door.

“Oh, food.” Ailani stood up from kneeling by the piano and walked to the door.

“Yay food!” Luffy bounded after her.

Pasha spun in his seat, turning to get off the bench.

“Hey Pash.”

The blonde haired boy looked back at Ace who was staring at the piano keys. “Yeah?”

“You should play more.”

“Food’s here.” Pasha pointed to the door where Ailani took the bags from the delivery boy, tipping him. Luffy bounced up and down behind her.

Ace shook his head, glaring at him. “You know what I mean, play more from now on! I didn’t even know you could make music at all and… I’ve known you for a while. I’d play music all the time if I knew how to.”

Pasha shrugged. “Well, they didn’t have any pianos in the Grey Terminal. Or else I would have.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, of course!”

Ace grinned at that. “Let’s go eat!”

“Before Luffy eats it all.” They both laughed and ran into the kitchen.

 

Ailani set the food out on the round table outside the kitchen. The chairs were a little too big for the boys so had to find a trunk, books and boxes to prop them up. With plates set out, they dug in.

“The food’s not going to run away, you know.”

The boys pointed to each other, while still scooping food into their mouths with their other hand.

“ _If you all agree_ not to steal each other’s food, then _maybe_ you can eat slower? We can always get more food if we run out.”

They all side eyed each other.

Ailani sighed. “If you eat too quickly, most of the food doesn’t get digested, and you just poop it out. It gets wasted. If you slow down a little, and I don’t know, _chew_ your food? You’ll get more out of it.”

Luffy swallowed, looking at his plate, frowning. “I’m wasting food?”

Ailani nodded. “The bigger the pieces of food, that harder it is for your digestive system to get everything. The chemical reactions that break the food down into energy that your body can use, takes a certain amount of time.”

Ace chewed his noodles. “Can’t I make my body do the chemical-y, energy thingy faster?”

“Not that I know of. If you find out a way let me know. It’s not like a muscle that you can strengthen. It’s more like sweating or creating snot. You can control the outside conditions as best you can, but you can’t really control how much of it you make.”

The boys looked at each other frowning.

Luffy stuck out his tongue. "Ew. Snot."

Pasha spoke up. “So if we agree… not to take each other’s food… we can slow down…”

Ace scowled. “But what if it gets cold?”

“We warm it up.”

Luffy pouted. “But I don’t want to share!”

“Why?”

“Because I want it for myself!”

“Why?”

Luffy’s face scrunched in concentration. “Why...?”

“If you can always get more, why does it matter?”

The boy’s all looked at each other, then the food.

Ace spoke slowly. “So if we run out… you’ll get more?”

Ailani nodded. “If you are still hungry, we can get more food.”

Luffy side eyed his brothers, leaning forward. “But Gramps said, that you have to eat as much as you want, as fast as you can, because you can be attacked at any time, and you never know when your next meal is going to be.”

Ailani’s expression soured at the mention of the old man. “The next meal is going to be at eighteen-hundred.”

The boys looked confused, and Ailani pointed to a clock on the opposite wall. “Dinner is at 6pm. If you are hungry before then, you can snack on something. Luffy, you don’t have to eat only at meal time you can eat all day.”

Luffy pulled back at the last statement mouth in a circle. “I can eat _all day_ ? _Anywhere_?”

“I mean, sometimes it wouldn’t be good to get crumbs on things, and other times you want to use both your hands and concentrate on what you’re doing. But yeah. You can snack _any_ _time_. There is _portable food_.”

“PORTABLE FOOD?”

Pasha raised a brow at Ailani. “Isn’t all food technically portable?”

The large woman shrugged, taking a bite of her food. “Some more than others.”

Luffy bounced on his stack of books on the chair, starting to tip them over. “SO you can give me portable food, and I can have food, anytime?”

Ace and Pasha started eating again, only a touch slower than before, eyeing each other and Luffy apprehensively. 

Ailani nodded. “I can get you a bag, and you can keep your snacks in there if you want.”

Luffy frowned. “What if I don’t want to carry anything.”

“I can give you money.”

“I can’t eat money.”

“Money can be used to buy foods and services. You can have money to pick up snacks if you get hungry.”

Ace narrowed his eyes, still eating. “You’ll give us money?”

She pointed at him. “For food. Anything else you will have to give a solid argument. Or use your food money for it and starve, it’s your choice.”

Luffy picked at his plate. “I don’t want to starve.”

“Then only use snack money for food. Cool?”

She eyed the boys as they shrugged noncommittally, and she rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s a start. Let’s finish up.”

 

After all the containers were disposed of and the dishes were put in the sink, Ailani led them upstairs. She showed the unused bathroom and added ‘bathroom supplies’ and ‘step stools’ to the list of things to pick up. She pointed out her room. It had a large, wide bed  in the center and a walk-in closet in the back.

“Are clothes always piled like that?” Ace pointed to one of the multiple surfaces covered in laundry piles.

Ailani glanced away, grimacing. “Yes, that is the life I lead. Come on let’s take a look at your room. It’s been a while since I've opened that door.”

Boxes, old furniture, and clothing filled the guest bedroom. Ailani stared at it for a moment taking it all in, hands on her hips. She took a deep breath.

“Ok. I’m going to take all this stuff and stack it in the living room, and sort it later. The main thing is to uncover the bed.”

Pasha got onto his tippy-toes. “There’s a bed in there?”

Ailani looked down smirking. “Believe it or not.”

 

The unpacking of the room, and repacking it, slightly less messily in the living room, took about an hour. Fifteen minutes in, Ailani changed out of her ship outfit and into jean shorts and an off the shoulder tee. Luffy mostly investigated all the boxes and played with nearly every item that was brought down. Pasha helped for a little bit, before Ace convinced him to play more piano. They discovered sheet music in the bench, and were able to find some things they wanted to try and Pasha did his best to make it happen. Ailani did not complain.

They uncovered a lamp, a sofa chair, an extra long full size bed, two different size dressers and a whole lot of miscellaneous items that Ailani didn't even remember that she owned or where they even came from. And a whole lot of dust. Ailani swept the room and quickly wiped off the surfaces in the room. She switched the covers on the bed and grabbed two extra pillows from the linen closet and lined them and the sheet lengthwise. She then pushed the bed against the wall.

“It’ll do for now, but I will have to get you all your separate beds.”

Pasha peeked in. “Will they all fit?”

“I’m thinking bunk beds. If they don’t have 3 tier ones in stock already, maybe I can have them make one. The room's tall enough for it. Ceiling height is the main reason why I got this place.”

“Bunk beds?”

Ailani stacked her hands one on top of the other. “Stacked beds with ladders.”

Ace pulled up. He had found a bag of cookies in the pantry. “What ladders?”

Pasha took a cookie from the bag. “We are going to have beds with ladders to climb up to them.”

“Tall beds. Cool.”

Ailani took a cookie too. “Did Luffy see you with these?”

“Nope he was in a box.”

As if summoned, a voice called from downstairs. “What are you guys doing up there!”

They replied in unison, while chewing on cookies. “Nothing.”

“Boring!”

They all smirked at each other and Ailani took the broom and cleaning rags away. She came out of her room, dressed in the wide sleeved shirt from before and narrow navy pants.

“Wanna go to my office?”

“Yeah!”

“Sure.”

And a voice yelling from below.

“What?”


	15. All Work and Play

It was mid afternoon when they made their way to the Financial Building. The path across the lawn curved with a lazy lean to the clear double doors of the entrance, a one story exclusion from the main building. They entered, and a navy officer at each of the counters flanking the entrance saluted Ailani. The officer on the left did a double take at the boys as they passed. Luffy waved and the man hesitantly did the same, hand reaching for a snail on the desk.

The lobby had the Marine’s emblem in the center off the floor. People dressed neatly in casual business attire went to and from two doors on left and right of the lobby, and through the main double doors leading to a larger, louder room.

“We’re going to my office first.” Ailani turned, heading towards the left side door that opened up into a stairwell.

As they ascended, people stepped aside to let Ailani through, greeting her. She gave a small courteous smile and nod in response as she passed. The boys did get puzzled glances, but the employees sped off as soon as Ailani made her way by, to make up for lost time.

Ailani took the righthand door on the second floor, and turned left at a hallway. She started shifting through her coat at a pair of double doors and the boys rushed past her to the railing overlooking the main office. Long tables with people stationed on either side lay parallel to each other. The thunderous sound of multiple typewrites and the shuffling of countless papers drowned out the faint murmur of voices in the room. There was a walkway on the opposite side of them, and to the sides. They heard a loud click and turned as Ailani unlocked her office and stepped inside. Pasha, then Ace and finally Luffy pulled away from the railing and into the office.

Papers and binders were stacked everywhere. In boxes stacked on boxes, on the loveseat against the right wall by the window, on the chairs opposite the desk, and propped on the desk itself. Ailani squeezed past and checked the her desk, rifling through a few papers placed in the center of it.

Ace looked at a binder from a pile, grimacing as he flipped through. “Do you have to read this stuff all day?”

Ailani glanced up. “Not all of it, all day, no.”

Luffy climbed one of the stack of boxes filled with paperwork, craning to see out the large window overlooking the large main office.

Pasha walked over to a large dusty pile of paperwork on the floor, lifting a sheet. “Does all this stuff need to be here?”

A voice came from the door. “No it doesn’t.”

They looked over to a slim woman with her dark hair tied up in a neat bun on the top of her head, frowning at them through her spectacles. Holding papers to her chest she went in between the two chairs occupied by papers and handed the bundle to Ailani.

The woman continued. “If they let you work instead of sending you to do fool’s errands then maybe some of this would get done.”

Ailani sighed, flipping through the stack. “Is there anything that needs immediate attention?”

The woman leaned over the desk pulling some of the papers that had been on the desk prior and handed them to the vice admiral.

“Alright, I’ll scan through these. Vedika, these boys are staying with me now.”

The woman eyed each of them, brow raised and then turned back to the Vice Admiral. “Staying… with you.”

Ace had climbed on top of the papers on loveseat, both hands on the window, while Pasha started to fold one of the papers into an animal, but ripped it halfway through. Luffy leaned a little too much on one side and the tower started to fall. Ailani just watched him and the boxes down in between her and her employee, and sighed.

“You alright bud?”

“Uh-huh.” Luffy was upside down wedged underneath the loveseat.

His brothers chuckled at him, but continued with what they were doing.

Vedika picked up one of the papers. “This needs to go back into the archives.”

“I was researching something, but... you’re right. It can wait for another time. I need to get all… this sorted first.” She waved vaguely around.

Luffy shook the dust out of his hair and hopped over to Ailani.

“Lani, can we go explore, like on the ship?”

Pasha and Ace looked over, Ace grinning. “Yeah, can we go look around?”

Ailani nodded, looking back to her paperwork. “Sure, just don’t destroy any paperwork and be back by 5pm. Ask anyone where my office is if you get lost.”

The other woman was trying to scoop the paperwork back into one of the crates. “Are you sure that’s-”

And the boys were already out the door.

“-a good… idea.”

Ailani shrugged, not looking up. “No reason to tell them not to do something if we don’t know what trouble they’ll get into first.”

Vedika mouth formed into a thin line. “This is not a playground Ailani.”

“They won’t be here everyday. I’m registering them for school tomorrow. Let’s see how they handle it.”

“Handle it?” The other woman scoffed, placing a full box to the side. “They are _children_ , aren’t they? Children go to _school_ . You aren’t setting tigers loose in the building, you are putting _children_ , in a building, where _children_ are kept.”

Ailani chuckled, signing a document and putting a seal on it. “They have been _fighting_ tigers. Does that count?”

“What?”

“The smallest boy, Luffy, his grandfather left them to fend for themselves in the wilderness. When I found them they were playing in the local city’s garbage dump and going into the jungle for food.”

“Just… loose!” The woman flung her arms up in the air.

Ailani looked up.

“Yes, actually, he left them in the care of bandits that he threatened to take care of them. The boys didn’t want to do chores for them, so they just spent most of their time in the jungle. Catching food, fighting tigers and bears.”

“But they’re like… TWO.”

“Seven, the older two are eleven.”

“They're basically babies! Just out there! Babies out in the jungle! I wouldn’t last in a jungle, let alone BABIES!” Vedika continued trying to clean up the mess. “Who was this brilliant genius anyways? No one I know I hope.”

Ailani looked back to the paperwork. “One of the vice admirals in the audit.”

“Ah one of the gems this Navy has to offer. I’m going to bring this box back upstairs, if you can dare to part with it.”

Ailani lifted one of the papers she was working on. “I’ll put the completed paperwork on your desk, in just a few.”

“Thank you kindly. Now, these boys.” The woman hoisted a box up. “How long will they be staying with you, exactly?”

“As long as they’d like, I suppose.”

“Are you serious?”

Ailani shrugged. “It’s what’s best, for now.”

Vedika shook her head as she exited the office. “Fine. Just… Fine.”

 

The brothers ran through the stairwell to the door leading to the walkway. Large windows lined the wall of the walkway and the one opposite side. They leaned over the railing to observe the people working below with one or two people looked up from their work, waving at them. Luffy waved back.

Ace smirked. “We could drop something on them. They wouldn’t be able to catch us.”

Pasha narrowed his eyes at his brother, mouth tilted up slightly. “Not right away. They’d just tell Ailani. We're the only kids here, you know.”

Ace pursed his lips as he pulled away from the railing. “Later then.”

His brothers nodded, Luffy grinning as they continued on.

They ran around, found a kitchenette and tables, found bathrooms and eventually found their way to an atrium on the first floor. The trees, bushes, vines and flowers were a little overgrown and unkempt. They jumped into the brush immediately, climbing one of the taller trees to see how high they could get.

Ace looked to the wall closest to him. “We could probably get onto the roof from here.”

“Cool!”

Pasha looked down at the people passing underneath the walkways, his legs dangling off the branch. “They don’t notice us at all. We could probably spook them pretty good.”

Ace grinned at him. “Probably make them drop all their papers!”

Luffy raised his fists into the air. “Like confetti!”

They nodded and spent over an hour sneaking up on anyone using the atrium walkways, jumping and swinging down from trees and popping out of bushes. Some reacted more than others, Ace did get his desired result out of a few.

After a while they needed to use the bathroom, and were getting thirsty. They went back to the bathroom and the drinking fountains at the back of the building they had found earlier. The boys ended up having a water fight with the fountains and then went back upstairs to try to find Ailani’s office.

 

“I was going to say that I heard that you boys were keeping yourselves very busy, but I clearly see... you definitely have.” 

The boys were soaked. Their knees were grubby and their clothes were stained with dirt. Their arms were clean, mostly due to the water fight.

Luffy trotted over to Ailani’s side, putting both his little hands on her arm, pulling it gently. “Lani, I’m hungry... and cold.”

She looked up at a clock. “Well, it’s a quarter to five, I think I can wrap things up. And let me see...”

She dug into one of the drawers and pulled out a towel. “I don’t know how clean it is, but you will have to share it.”

Luffy grabbed it and wrapped himself in it, walking back to his brothers.

Ailani circled a few words on a document and signed a few others as the boys dried off. She stood up, gathering papers and evening them out on the desk.

“Just need to drop these off and we can go. We… should take that towel to clean.”

Luffy wore the towel as they went downstairs and to the main office. On the end of one table, Ailani placed the papers onto a tray next to Vedika tapping quickly tapping on a calculator.

The dark haired woman looked up. “Done for the day?”

Ailani nodded. “The boys have had their fill.”

The woman looked back, her mouth forming into a thin line as she inspected the boys who were peeking into the work stations at the table behind her. “They sure did. A janitor’s cleaning up the spill by the back bathrooms.”

“Good. No one slipped?”

“Not as far as I know. It is… a very obvious spill. Like a pond or a moat. Did they go swimming in a sink, or…?”

Ace trotted over. “Water fight. When you put your finger over the nozzle it sprays out.” He mimed the motion.

“ _Wonderful_ ,” Vadika drawled, turning slowly to Ailani to give her a dirty look.

Ailani just laughed. “Come on kids, we've overstayed our welcome.”

The boys filed out behind Ailani. Luffy waved at Vadika. A few or the office workers around her waved back, but she just looked at him before turning back to her work.

Ace trotted up. “Are we ordering food again?”

“We can... I do want to pick up food for the next few days.”

“The market?” Pasha added.

“Yes. Maybe we can pick up something premade for tonight. There’s an empanada stand there.”

“Empandamanda.” Luffy voiced it out.

“Good. Got it in one.” Ace nodded.

Ailani repeated the word. “Em-pah-nah-dah. Meat pastry.”

“Oooo!”

They picked up the empanadas first and the boys munched as Ailani picked up items from the deli, bread, some produce, and a good amount of snacks that the boys picked out themselves. The large amount of bags were hardly an issue for her, just a little bulky. She just had to take extra care not to hit anyone with them. The boys were done with half of empanadas by the time they reached the house.

A quick trip up the stairs and letting Ace unlock and open the door, they were soon back inside.

“Ah! Forgot about all that stuff.” Ailani examined the living room before entering the kitchen, unloading the bags on the counter. “Put the empanadas or what’s left of them on the table. Leave me at least five.”

Luffy peeked back into the kitchen, half eaten meat pastry in his hand. “You only want five?”

“I am alright with five. I can always eat something else.”

“Ok.”

Everything put away, the boys had already moved on to something else. Ailani checked the table and found the three bags the boys had carried now crumpled on top of it. There were empanadas left in each, totaling in six. She smiled, starting on the first one, observing Luffy playing with a large ceremonial wooden mask from the pile and the other two boys laughing at him from the piano.

She dusted her hands off. “I’m going take most of this stuff downstairs to the housekeeper so they can get rid of it-”

“No!” Luffy put down a snowglobe. “I’m not done yet!”

“I was going to say… Take what you want, NOT all of it.” She pointed him. “We are going to get you some new stuff too, alright?”

“Well I don’t need these girls clothes.”

“Excellent.”

Pasha went and fished something out of a box. “Is this a spyglass?”

“Cool!”

Ailani walked over. “You might have to see if it works, but it’s yours. I’m going to go downstairs for a moment, put what you want in your room. You have _five minutes_.”

The boys jumped up and started shuffling through the boxes.

Ailani chuckled and made her way out, last empanada in hand.

“That stuff's going to be... _everywhere_.”

The boys managed to hustle the mask, a globe, the spyglass, a ukulele with two strings missing and few other assorted items upstairs before Ailani made her way back.

When Ailani returned it looked like the room exploded, no boys in sight. Ailani brought her lips into her mouth and her hands to her hips.

She nodded. “Thought as much.”

She put the boxes back together as best she could and walked upstairs. She peeked through their open door, and saw that the light had been turned on and the boys had piled onto the sofa chair looking at a large book.

She went to her room and sorted through her clothes, making a pile to take down as well, and hung up a few others. She had the living room was clear in an hour. Items stacked in front of first floor apartment and against the stairs. She dusted her hands off nodding, before going to check on the boys.

The light was still on but the boys had fallen asleep, the book almost falling off of Pasha’s lap.

She walked over and opened their window. She looked down on the street, music from the bar across the street drifted in with the sea breeze. Violin with drums. She smiled and took the book, an atlas, and put it on top of the dresser, placing the spyglass on top of it.

She gently nudged Pasha awake. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He rubbed his eyes.

“Shower and bedtime.”

“Ok.” He wiggled out from between his brothers and went to the bathroom.

She gathered a change of clothes for them, and was able to get Luffy to go and follow Pasha, even though she thought he might be still asleep. Ace ended up being carried to the bathroom.

With a little work all three boys got clean, teeth brushed and put to bed.

She looked once more at the boys as she left the room, the open window letting in the music drift in from outside, and turned off the light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. So I had to pick up empanadas after writing this.  
> I actually drew a layout of this building in MS Paint to do this chapter?? Like, I knew elements and rooms in the NFO, but I had a hard time figuring out how they all connected, so I spent like 2 hours at work creating basically a video game map of the ground and 2nd level of this place.  
> Well. If anyone wants directions how to get to the bathrooms, let me know.
> 
> Thank you everyone for your support!  
> Shout out to Noelle for commenting and leaving your feedback, it is always appreciated!


	16. Learning Curve

“So. Do any of you know what school is?”

Pasha and Luffy raised their hands.

Ace rolled his eyes, looking to the side as they all jogged behind Ailani. “This is stupid.”

The four of them were making their way though the market to an area of the city the boys hadn’t been to yet.

Ailani did not visibly acknowledge the oldest boy’s comment. “And have any of you ever gone to school before?”

Both of the raised hands went down.

“Great... Do you know what kids do at school?”

The boys turned to each other, confused looks on their faces, before Pasha turned back to Ailani, unsure.

“L-... learn?”

The large woman turned her head, and gave a thumbs up, not missing a stride. “Got it in one.”

Luffy perked up. “About boats and stuff?”

Ailani waved her hand back and forth. “Eh, a little bit. This place teaches you a little bit of basic sh- stuff. A little bit of math, history and reading comprehension.”

Ace’s expression soured. “And _why_ , do we need to know that?”

Luffy nodded at his older brother, pointing at him. The ears on the hood of his now permanently stained panda onesie flopping back and forth.

Ailani stopped and spun around, crouching down, elbows on her knees. “Everyone needs to have a basic understanding of how the world works. A little bit of history will help you understand what’s going on in the world today, and why it’s happening. There is a lot of math in keeping up a boat. Not only is navigation a good amount math, but making sure you have enough food until your next stop is all math. And you do need to know how to read.”

Ace grumbled looking away. “Everyone knows how to read.”

Ailani raised a finger. “No they don’t. And they do ok, but knowing how to read is easier then not knowing how to read.”

She stood up, hands on her hips. “Let’s see how you do for a week. I still have to see what they need from us to register you. Ideally, I’d like for all of you to do basic schooling until you are at least twelve.”

Luffy counted on his fingers, frowning. “All of us?”

“Yeah. All of you.”

The boys all sighed.

She raised her hand. “Then, we can see if we can get you some specialized training if that’s what you want.”

They perked up.

Ace glanced at his brothers than Ailani. “Like ship sailing? And fighting?”

Ailani nodded. “Absolutely. But I want to make sure you have some basic skills before then. It’ll be easier to recommend you if we have some documentation of your past performance.”

“Pre-for-mans?” Luffy’s brow furrowed.

“How well you do. Like in school, you have to do well in class, work with other kids and finish assignments. How well you do will show your strengths and weaknesses.”

Ace crossed his arms, scowling. “Strengths? How will doing _‘assignments_ ,’ show how strong we are? Are the assignments fighting?”

Ailani took a deep breath. “It will show how good you are, or aren’t, at doing certain things. This will help us train you later on. Ok?”

The boys were visibly unconvinced.

She put her palms together and brought the fingers up to her mouth.

“I honestly just want you to spend time with other kids. You are very strong, clever little boys. And I’m going to be straight with you. This is not going to be easy for you. You are going to be in a room, learning and interacting with other kids in a way that you are not used to. For _hours_ . And they aren’t going to be used to you either, most of them grew up here, and none of them, I bet you 20 berries, _none_ of them trained out in the woods. But they might be better at other things. All I’m asking is for you to try. It’s ok if you don’t do well at first, you are going to be learning and doing new things. You might get frustrated, and that’s _fine_. All I’m asking you to do is try.”

The boys looked up at her and then to each other.

Luffy grinned, coming up to her. “I’ll try Lani!”

Pasha smiled, eyes closed. “We don’t know how hard it’ll be until we try, might as well go.”

Ace turned away smirking. “Can’t be harder than fighting tigers.”

Ailani raised a brow, the side of her lip arching up. “We’ll see about that.”

 

The school was bleached white, and the same blockish style as Ailani’s office, but wider. A wall surrounded the building, matching it in color and texture. The gate was open, one or two older children ran in as a bell rang. Following signs, Ailani led the boys to a main office. A portly woman with chin length brown hair looked up from the counter, smiling.

“Can I help you?”

Ailani walked up, leaning against the counter. “Yes, I’d like to register-...” She motioned to the boys who were looking through different pamphlets and peaking into offices. “...-my boys for school.”

“Excellent. Let me check here… Take these, we are going to need some information.”

Ailani turned to them, papers in hand. “This is going to take a little bit. Sit tight, I’m going to try to get through these as quick as I can.”

She went through Luffy’s first.

“Luffy, who taught you how to read and write?”

Luffy peaked out from underneath the row of chairs he had crawled under. “Oh! Wood Slap mostly, and Makino too!”

The woman looked over. “He was home schooled?”

Ailani nodded. “No formal education for those three up to this point. Came from a small island.”

“Oh my!”

She handed Luffy’s paperwork to the woman, and started on the next but stopped.

“Pasha?”

“Yeah? Ow-” He and Ace had rolled up magazines and started dueling with them, Ace took advantage of the distraction and smacked Pasha on the right side of his face.

“I’m going to give you my name, alright?”

Luffy squeezed out from under the chairs. “So you'll both be Lani? That’s silly.”

Ailani shook her head, as she continued filling out the form. “Mahi’ai. Since you don’t have a last name.”

Pasha let the hand with the rolled up magazine fall to his side. “That’s right. I don’t.”

Ace stopped his assault, looking between them.

“We can change it later if you’d like.”

“Th-... That’s fine.”

“Ace.”

“What.”

“Can I do the same for you?”

“I… I don’t care.”

She turned back to see Pasha fidgeting with the magazine in his hands, cheeks slightly flushed with a strange expression on his face, and Ace completely turned away.

Luffy hopped in front of Ace, peeking over, frowning. “Why is your face red?”

“SH-SHUT UP IT’S NOT!”

A corner of Ailani’s mouth tilted down. Her brow furrowed slightly. “Is everything alright?”

“IT’S FINE!” The two older boys chorused.

“I’m going outside!” Ace sped out, Pasha darting out behind him.

Luffy looked at Ailani, eyes wide and teeth bared. “What did I do?”

She shrugged, and the small boy ran out the door after them.

“Let me wrap this up quickly and… is this enough?”

“They will need uniforms…”

“That uniform shop on-...”

“Yes just tell them what grade and you should be fine.”

“Thanks, let me… go round ‘um up.” She motioned to where the boys had disappeared.

The woman nodded, smiling. “I’ll start processing these.”

“Thank you.” Ailani bowed and exited.

 

Luffy saw the two boys huddling at a pillar, talking in hushed tones and with rapid hand movements.

“ACE! PASHA!”

They both jumped, staring at him wide eyed and faces a little flushed, before Ace turned away, crossing his arms, and Pasha laughed, putting a hand behind his head.

“What’s wrong, what did I say?” Luffy huffed.

Ace frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You got all mad and ran away!”

Pasha chuckled, glancing away. “No it’s…”

Ace looked down, pushing dirt with his shoe. “It’s nothing.”

Luffy’s frown deepened. “It’s not nothing! You’re both acting weird! What did I do?!”

“You didn’t do anything Luffy.” Pasha sighed, patting Luffy’s shoulder.

“Then why are you weird!”

Ace narrowed his eyes. “ _You’re_ weird.”

“Yeah, but I’m always like this!” Luffy bared his teeth, raising his arms up in exasperation.

Both of his brothers laughed.

“You kids alright?”

The boys turned to see Ailani walking over.

“Y-yeah we’re fine.” Pasha smiled shyly, glancing away.

Ace kept his face turned away but kept looking to the ground then Ailani.

Luffy looked at them, then Ailani and back to them, pointing at her.

“Did she do something?”

The two boys flushed, Ace grimaced and Pasha waved his hands in front of them.

“No-no-no, it’s fine, what are we…” The little blonde boy motioned to where they came from. “Do... ing next? What’s next!”

Ace nodded, motioning towards his brother. “Yeah, what’s next?”

Luffy and Ailani stared at the boys for a moment. Ailani raised a brow at the littlest brother who shook his head and lifted his hands up, shrugging.

“Well let’s... get your uniforms…”

“Uniforms?”

“Like for the Navy?” Luffy made a raspberry, sticking out his tongue.

Ailani shook her head. “No, just a polo and a pair of shorts, and loafers. Sort of like the shoes Ace has but in a different color. If we go pick them up, maybe by the time we’re done they will know what classrooms you might be in, and you can go check them out. They might let you sit in.”

“Oh, today?”

“Ok!”

“Fine…”

 

The uniforms didn’t take much time at all, and they soon got changed into plain white polos and navy shorts, with either brown or navy loafers. Luffy was upset that he couldn’t be an animal, so Ailani drew a kitty face on the end of each of his shoes. He watched his feet on the way back to school so much so that he kept running into people. Ailani had to pull him out of the way of the trolley as it passed.

Ace bopped him on the head. “Pay attention to where you’re walking.”

Luffy rubbed his head, pointing at the trolley turning the corner, looking up at Ailani. “Can we ride the trolley?”

Ailani glanced at where it had been. “It doesn’t really go past the school. Maybe this weekend.”

Luffy frowned and then smiled. “Ok!”

 

“Oh! You’re back!”

“Would it be possible to have them sit in their classrooms? They don’t have any materials, but it would be nice for them to know where they’ll be.”

“Of course! Follow me.”

They went down the first hallway and past a few classrooms.

“This is the 2nd grade classroom, this will be Luffy’s class.”

Luffy frowned. “I won’t be with Ace and Pasha?”

The woman smiled warmly at him. “Honey, you are seven and they are eleven, they need to learn different things from you.”

“No! I want to be in the same classroom as them! I’m just as strong!”

“But-”

“NO!”

Ailani knelt down. “Luffy.”

“NO! I want to be in the same room as my brothers!”

Ace and Pasha exchanged a look.

Ailani took a deep breath. “Do you think your brothers know more than you.”

“Yeah…”

“If they’d be in your classroom, relearning stuff they already knew, but you didn’t know they would be bored. You understand that right?”

The little boy just frowned, staring at the floor.

Ailani continued. “And if you went into their classroom, they will be going over things that make sense to them, but would be confusing to you.”

“Why?”

“Because you would need to know the stuff in this classroom before going over the stuff in their classroom.” She pointed at the 2nd grade room. “You will be in there with a lot of other kids. You won’t be lonely.”

“I don’t want to be with other kids, I want to be with them!”

“Luffy, stop being such a baby.” Ace scowled at him.

“I’M NOT A BABY!”

“Then stop acting like one!”

Pasha put his hands up between his brothers. “Luffy, we aren’t going away forever, we’re going to be in the same building, right?”

The portly woman guiding them nodded. “Yes, right down the hall, honey. Not far at all.”

Ailani spoke up. “How about this. We will walk over to their classroom, so you will know where it is. And if you want to check on them, you can drop by. Is that ok?”

“Ok…”

She nodded at the school administrator and the woman walked past, showing the way.

Their room was at the end of the hall on the right. The woman went in and talked to the teacher, who nodded, and motioned to desks. The woman walked back out.

“The teacher is going to introduce you, come on in boys.”

Pasha and Ace looked up at Ailani who nodded. They turned to Luffy.

Pasha smiled at him. “We’ll be right here ok?”

Luffy nodded, frowning.

“Don’t cry.” Ace smirked.

“I WON’T CRY!”

The boys gave Luffy one last look before entering the room.

“Everyone, this is Ace and Pasha, they will be joining us-”

The door swung closed, muffling the voices inside. Luffy looked at the door and then down to the floor.

Ailani looked him over. “You ok, bud?”

“What if they like those kids more than me?”

Ailani’s blinked a few times, eyes widening. She leaned down, putting a hand on his back. “Luffy, why would you think that?”

“There are kids like them in there, and they won’t have me around, so…” His eyes started to water up.

“Are you going to replace them as soon as you go into your classroom?”

He shook his head. “No! They’re my brothers!”

“And you are their brother. What makes you think they’ll stop loving you the moment they stop seeing you?”

He fidgeted. “But the other kids…”

“So what. They aren’t you. You’re their family aren’t you?”

He nodded, wiping his eyes. “And they won’t like the other kids better?”

“You’re their brother. They can’t replace you. It’s illegal.”

“Ill..eagle?”

“Against the law. They can’t stop loving you. It’s impossible.”

“Really?”

“Really, really.”

He wiped his nose with his arm and smiled up at her. “Ok!”

“Give me a hug.”

“Ok!”

And she brought him up into her arms, and he threw his arms around her neck and gave her shoulders a squeeze.

She lifted away to look at him, carrying him down the hall. “Are you ready to have fun and meet new people?”

He gave her a big grin. “Yeah!”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Noelle and StrawFairy for your wonderful comments, and thank you everyone for your support!


	17. The Big Questions

“Luffy! I like your shoes!”

“Luffy, where did you get your hat!”

“Luffy! You’re from another island? What kind of island?”

“Luffy!”

“Luffy sit by me!”

Children were all but clambering out of their seats trying to get the young boy’s attention as he stood in front of the class.

The teacher clapped. “One! At! A! Time! _Raise your hands_!”

Luffy glanced at Ailani at the door and waved, smiling. She waved back and closed the door.

The office admin took deep breath. “Wowie, that was exciting!”

Ailani raised a brow. “Can I leave my extension with you? So you or the teacher can call if anything comes up? I have to get back to work.”

“Oh! Of course, come with me!”

She wrote down her information, and left, doubletime back to the office.

 

A couple of hours and stacks of paperwork cleared, Ailani’s office door opened. She didn’t even bother to look up, finishing her review of forecasted expenditures, typing into the calculator on her desk, when there was a tug on her sleeve. She glanced down to see Luffy.

“Luffy, buddy, what time-...” She checked her watch, it was a quarter past twelve.

“Lunch time!” The little dark haired boy grinned.

“We told them we were having lunch with you.”

Ailani looked up. Ace was tossing a ball up in the air he didn’t have before and Pasha sat on the corner of the desk.

Ailani put a hand on her temple. “Shit, lunch. I forgot to give you lunch money. I knew there was _something_...”

She stood up, the heavy chair creaking.

“I want empandas!”

Ailani dug in her coat, brow furrowed. “Em-...pa-..? Ah! Empanadas, haha! Sure-sure, I gotchyu... Ace, Pasha, you good with empanadas two days in a row?”

The boys nodded, Pasha grinning, hopping from his perch on the desk to the floor, Ace tossing and spinning the ball.

Ailani’s eyes followed it. “Nice ball.”

“Yeah.”

Pasha glanced at Ace and then Ailani, putting a hand up. “A boy in class let us borrow it, said it was fine since we were in the same class!”

“Did you think I stole it?” Ace met Ailani’s gaze, still tossing the ball.

“I’d be lying if the thought didn’t cross my mind, but you’re not a bully. So you wouldn’t have taken it from someone just because you could.”

Ace caught the ball.

Luffy looked up at Ailani. “What’s a ‘bully’?”

She bent down. “A bully is someone who uses their strength overpower, threaten and take things from people who are weaker than them, just because they can and it makes them feel good about themselves.”

Luffy furrowed his brow, looking down. “Bullies hurt people because they… can?”

Ailani nodded. “Yeah. And you guys aren’t bullies, so you couldn’t have taken that ball. Because I know for a fact that you are the strongest boys in that classroom.”

Ace started tossing the ball in the air again. “So how do you know?”

Ailani gave him a look. “That you’re the strongest boys in your classroom, I mean that’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?”

Ace shook his head. “That we aren’t bullies. That we aren’t those type of bad kids.”

Luffy scowled. “We aren’t.”

“But how does she know?”

A grin spilled across Ailani’s lips, and she made her way past Luffy, ruffling his hair. She moved around the desk until she stood in front of Ace.

“Because you’re _good_ kids, that’s why.”

Ace missed catching the ball, looking up at her, wide eyed.

Pasha shot out a laugh from the side. “Have you met us?”

“Yeah…” Ailani bent down, put her fingers through Ace’s hair and cupped the side of his face. “Troublemakers, sure... But good through and through.”

After a moment stuck staring into the woman’s brown eyes, Ace tore away and went and picked up the ball, facing away. “We should... Get lunch.”

Pasha watched Ace, then Ailani as she stood up straight, his mouth opening and closing, but saying nothing.

Luffy jumped up. “Lunch! I’m hungry for pandas!”

Ailani turned, raising a brow. “Haha! Just ‘pandas’ now?”

“Shi-shi-shi!” The youngest boy grinned, running up to her. “Pan-das! Pan-das! Pan-das!”

“You ready to eat boys?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Sure…”

“YEAH!”

The two older boys trailed behind as Ailani had picked up Luffy, carrying him most of the way to the market. Ace spent most of the time, brow slightly furrowed, looking out into space, eyes darting here and there not really looking at anything. He grabbed the bag of meat pastries from Ailani when she offered it, refusing to look at her. Pasha spent his time watching Ace carefully. He smiled and nodded at Ailani with a meek thank you, receiving his own bag. Luffy devoured his empanadas two at a time.

“Did you get a list of supplies yet?”

“Oh!” Pasha dusted his hands off and pulled a folded up piece of paper from his shorts’ pocket.

Ailani shook it open with one hand, chewing on her own pastry. “Hmn… Can pick up most of these at the office. Just need to get you bags to carry it in.”

“Blah, I don’t want to carry anything.” Luffy stuck out his tongue.

“Let’s see what bags are around here…”

Finding bags for the older boys was easy enough. They took two matching over the shoulder bags, one in blue and black and one in orange and white.

“Luffy,” Ace scowled, arms crossed. “Does everything have to be animals?”

Luffy turned around in the mirror, grinning at the obese, shortlegged squash faced dog that made his backpack, the dog’s googly eyes bouncing back and forth with his movement. “I love him.”

“More than your hat?”

“NO! He needs a hat too.”

Ailani snickered. “Ok, we need to keep an eye out for a dog sized straw hat.”

“Yeah!” Luffy grinned back.

Ailani checked her watch. “Let’s pick up what’s left on the list at the office, and then I’ll walk you back.”

“Run us back you mean.” Ace mumbled under his breath.

Pasha subdued a laugh, under his hand.

Ailani glanced down. “Good thing you’re fast.”

Ace huffed, refusing to keep her gaze for long.

They scurried over to the office, and packed their bags with notepads, pencils and other assorted items.

“That should do it. Do you think you can make your way back to the apartment after school?”

Pasha nodded. “We should.”

“I’m going to have to stay a little extra to wrap things up today. Here.” She pulled out her keys and slipped one off, giving it to Pasha. “Here’s the spare. We’ll get a nice keychains and a key for each of you this weekend. And also… if you’d like…” She went through her wallet, pulling out some money, handing it to Ace. “Pick up some snacks on the way home.”

Ace frowned at the money in his hand. “Why am I carrying the money?”

“Did you want the key?”

“No.”

Ailani nodded. “You can take care of the money, Pasha will take care of the key.”

Luffy hopped up and down. “I want to take care of something!”

Ailani smiled, hand messing with his hair. “Take care of _yourself_.”

“LAME!”

Ailani and the other two boys laughed.

“Did you want me to walk you back?”

Pasha shook his head, looking at the key in his hand with a smile, then pocketing it. “We should be good.”

“You want me to write directions? You’ve only been there once.”

“We’re not stupid. We found our way here, didn’t we? Let’s go.” Ace motioned to his brothers.

The other two boys looked at each other, then Ailani.

Ailani waved it off. “We’ll chat when we get home. Be safe.”

Ace waved, not turning around as he disappeared out of the storeroom.

“Bye Lani!”

“Bye!” Pasha waved.

Ailani waved as the boys disappeared from view.

 

“Why do you have to be such a butt all of a sudden?” Pasha ran up to Ace.

Ace spun around. “Why is she being so nice to us, she doesn’t even know us.”

Pasha shrugged. “Why did she take us in?”

Ace pointed. “Exactly! We told, well, Luffy told her we wanted to be pirates, and she _is_ in the Navy. Why is she helping us? What does she want from us?”

“Umm… we’ve been with her for a couple of weeks. Why are you asking this now?”

Ace gritted his teeth, staring at the ground. Luffy ran up looking back and forth between them.

“What? Why’d we stop?”

Pasha sighed glancing at Luffy. “Ace is wondering why Ailani’s being so nice to us.”

“Easy! She’s nice!”

Pasha grinned, but Ace didn’t stop staring at the ground, hand clenching the bag strap.

“But-... But why is she nice to _us_.”

Luffy frowned. “She likes us.”

“Why? She doesn’t have any reason to.”

“Why not? I like us.” Luffy crossed his arms.

Pasha let out a laugh, Ace couldn’t help a small smile and looked up at Luffy.

“But she’s not _us_ , Luffy.”

“Because she’s big?”

“N-no...  maybe… I don’t- I don’t know…” Ace shook his head, looking away.

Luffy uncrossed his arms. “You don’t like Lani?”

“That’s not… I don’t _not_ like her…”

Pasha and Luffy nodded to each other. “He likes her.”

Ace’s eyes widened, freckled cheeks flushed red as he turned back to his brothers. “NO THAT’S NOT WHAT I… what I said…”

His eyes went down to the pavement. “What if this is only for a short bit, like, what if…”

Pasha raised a brow. “She gets rid of us? She got us all the way over here… Why would she go through the trouble?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s ask her.”

“What?”

Pasha shrugged. “When she gets home. We can ask her why she keeps us around.”

“She could lie.”

“She could. But we don’t know until we ask.”

Ace nodded. “Ok... Ok. Let’s do that.”

The middle boy motioned towards the direction of the school. “Let’s head back in the meantime, Luffy, come on.”

The smallest boy nodded, frowning as he trailed behind them.

 

Ailani came home around seven. She tried the door and it was unlocked. She nodded and locked it behind her. She let out a short chuckle at the disheveled mess of small shoes that sat piled on the shoe rack by the door. She lined them up, adding her boots next to theirs and hung up her coat on a hook by the stairs. She went upstairs and passed their room to get to hers. The light was still on. She changed out of her work clothes into a tank top and thigh length workout shorts, when she heard a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

She loosened her ponytail, flopping it over her shoulder, watching the door creaked open.

“I was going to come and say hi, I just wanted to change.”

The boys filed in one by one, Luffy last.

“Are you guys still hungry, want me to make some sandwiches?”

Luffy looked over to his brothers hopefully, but Ace glared at him and so he frowned, looking to his feet.

Pasha cleared his throat. “Mnm. Ailani.”

“Yeeeess...?” She smirked slightly, brow raised, hands on her hips.

“We needed to ask-”

“WHY ARE WE HERE?” Ace’s fists were clenched.

Ailani blinked a couple of times. “Like generally, in the scope of the universe, because I don’t think I can-”

“No! Why did you bring us here?”

“To Minnow Island?”

“Yes.”

“To live here.”

“Yes. Why?”

She glanced at all of them, frowning. “You don’t like it here?”

Luffy grinned. “I LOVE it here! I like the pandas, I like the trolley, and I like so much stuff!”

Pasha nodded at Luffy. “It’s really nice here, it’s just…”

He turned to Ace.

Ace’s face was obscured by his hair. “Why did you want us here?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Ace looked up, wide eyed, mouth opening wordless.

Ailani walked over to her bed and sat down. She patted on her bed.

“Everyone on the bed.”

Pasha and Luffy looked at each other then rushed and jumped onto the very large bed.

Ailani motioned to Ace.

“You too, come on up.”

Ace walked over and climbed up, kneeling on the bed, avoiding eye contact.

She looked over each of them. Luffy submerged himself in her pillows. Pasha waited cross legged laughing at Luffy. Ace’s tensed body at the edge of the bed, staring at the covers in front of him.

She crossed her legs, mirroring Pasha. “What’s this about, really?”

Pasha motioned from Ace to Ailani. “...Come on Ace.”

Ace looked up at the giant woman, mouth tight, finally meeting her gaze. “Why are we here? Why did you have us come live with you? Why are you so…” He looked down, balling his fists.

Ailani stared at him, as the other two boys watched her.

“Hey. Come ‘ere.”

In one swift motion she scooped him up into her lap, bringing him up into a hug.

The eldest boy’s eyes widened. “W-what are you-!”

“Ace… What possible reason would I have to bring you boys here, except that I really, _really_ like you?”

He stopped trying to squirm out of her grasp.

“I don’t… I don’t know.”

She pet his hair. “You… don’t know me very well, but I don’t trust _anyone_. But Ace… Luffy, Pasha… for some reason I trust all of you enough to live with me. And I think, even though I was fighting it at first, I knew I had to take you with me.”

“Really...? Why?”

“Someone had to take care of you.”

Ace scowled up at her. "We can take care of ourselves."

She brushed a lock of hair out of his face. "And given what you had, you did an excellent job."

Ace's face relaxed and he looked away into her shirt.

She looked at the other two brothers. "But that's not your job. _I'm_ the adult here. _I'm_ supposed to take care of you. Make sure you are safe and happy. And do the right thing... Life is hard. You three are seven and eleven years old. That is a short time to be alive and figure out how to fend for yourselves. You did it. You didn't have any choice. And you did _above_ and _beyond_."

She looked down at the lean eleven year old in her arms. "You did a great job."

A muffled voice came from her arms. "You don't know... you don't know who we are... we steal and we beat up people we..."

"I don't think you had much of a choice." She pet his hair again. "You are strong boys. With strong morals. And you act on them. I've learned that. I learned that right away. I learned that you are _very_ good boys."

She hugged him a little closer and looked up to see Pasha tearing up, teeth clenched and tears already streaming down Luffy's face, his bottom lip quivering.

She motioned to them both. "Come 'ere."

Pasha clambered over, while Luffy bounded up, wrapping his arms around Ace. Ailani put her arm around Luffy, nuzzling his hair, and lifted Pasha up into a hug, so they were all scrunched together in her arms.

"Every day I spend with you boys... each time I talk to you... or watch you fall asleep... or see you laugh and play... and smile... I feel myself fall deeper and deeper in love with you. And I can't... help it. I've tried."

They heard a sniff and the boys looked up to see Ailani blink back tears.

"You're just such _good boys_." Giant tears started to fall down on them, and that was the end. Luffy started bawling, Pasha was crying, face in Ailani's shoulder.

Ace, snot streaming out of his nose and tears bubbling out of his eyes, making it hard for him to see, lifted his hands up to Ailani's face, trying to wipe her tears away. "Don't cry, don't cry, I'm sorry, don't cry-..."

She hugged them closer. "Don't be sorry. You did everything right."

"No I didn't!" Ace choked through tears. "You were-... so nice and I was-... so mean and I made you cry and-"

Ailani pulled back, wet steams of tears on her face, smiling at him. "You didn't make me cry."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Why are _you_ crying?"

"I-! Because you're crying!"

Ailani laughed and kissed him on the forehead. "I'll stop crying, then."

"LANI!"

She turned to a wet faced snotty Luffy looking up at her.

"I want to love you too!"

A side grin split across her face. "You don't already?"

She nuzzled his hair with her face as he frowned. "Can I?"

"Yes, you have my permission."

A soft voice came from her shoulder. "I love you too."

She went and planted a kiss on top of Pasha's curly blonde hair. "I love you too."

The little boy's body shook, face in her shoulder as he clenched onto her shirt.

She looked at Ace, his eyes locked on her face, tears still streaming out of his eyes. "Am I allowed to love you too Ace?"

He nodded, bottom lip quivering. "Don't stop! Ever!"

Her eyes softened, and she bent down and kissed his forehead again. "I won't."

He squeezed his eyes shut. "EVER!"

"Never ever. Even if you stop loving me."

He opened his eyes. "I won't!"

"Never?"

"Never _ever_!"

She smiled, closing her eyes, and pulling them all up closer again. "It's a deal then."

Luffy's muffled voice came through. "Do we need to make Lani our brother?"

Ailani burst out laughing, pulling back. "WHAT?"

The older two boys sat up in Ailani's lap, Luffy still clutched onto Ace, cheek squished.

Pasha frowned raising a brow. "You know Ailani's a girl, right?"

Ailani looked at him. "Very flattering. I'm older than a girl, though."

Ace looked up at her. "How old are you?"

"Thirty."

"Wow!"

"So old!"

"You're ancient!"

She gave them a look. "Thanks..? I guess?"

Luffy looked back at his brothers. "But why does that mean she can't be our brother."

Ace narrowed his eyes. "Boys are brothers."

The smallest boy crossed his arms, looking down. "That's not fair."

Ailani put a hand to her forehead, laughing. "Luffy, did you want us to be a family? Is that what you're asking?"

The two older boys eyes widened and they looked up at Ailani, their cheeks starting to flush.

Luffy thought for a moment. "Family... Like a mom and a dad and kids?"

"No dad, but... sure."

"Are we going to get one?"

"A da- no..." Ailani's mouth tightened.

"Why not?"

"I don't want one."

"What if we find one?"

Ailani narrowed her eyes. "Then he will be an uncle."

"Oh... What's the difference?"

"A mom and a dad are usually married. I don't want to be married."

"Why not?"

"I'm happy how I am. Not interested."

"Oh! So-"

"Luffy!" Pasha put up a hand, stopping him.

Ace crossed his arms, brow furrowed. "Why are you bringing up someone that doesn't exist? Also."

He looked up at Ailani, opened his mouth, but then turned away. He looked back, uncrossing his arms. "Does this... do you mean-"

Pasha went in front of him, cheeks flushed. "Are you our mom now?"

Ailani's eyes widened and her mouth went loose. All three boys stared at her. Her cheeks started to flush, and she glanced away.

"I-..."

Pasha continued. "You gave the two of us your last name! At school! And you said you loved us! Are we your... your kids now?"

"I... uhmn... I mean... not officially..." She glanced up at each of them. "Do you...do you want to be my... my kids? I mean, it hasn't been that long do you really-"

"Yes." Ace, flushed cheeks but stared at her with a look she hadn't seen him have before. "I want to be your kid."

Her mouth opened, unable to say anything.

Pasha looked down, cheeks still rosy. "I... I didn't want to be tied to anyone anymore. Not a name or a lineage or anything... But... do you want to be my... mom? That sounds so strange to say..."

Ailani put her hand through his short curly locks and brushed her thumb over his cheek, staring intently at him. "Is that what you want?"

Pasha nodded, looking meekly at her.

She nodded slowly. "Ok... ok. I'll have to get all the paperwork sorted... to make it official..."

The boys lit up.

Ace's eyes widened. "So you'll do it?"

She nodded more affirmatively. "Yes. I'll do it. I'll be your mom."

Ace jumped hugged her around her waist, burrowing his face in her shirt, and she smiled rubbing his back.

"If Ace and Pasha are my brothers... does that make you my mom too?"

They looked over at Luffy who was sitting on Ailani's knee, frowning.

She reached a hand over and pet his hair. "It's a little more complicated with you, since you have your grandfather and your dad that might still claim custody."

"Cuss-to-dee?"

She nodded. "Custody. They might be able to take you back, if they wanted to."

Luffy jumped up. "I don't want them to take me! I wanna live with Ace and Pasha and you!"

She grabbed him in her arm. "I won't let them take you if you don't want to go. I'll figure something out."

Luffy wrapped his arms around her neck. "Promise?"

"Promise."

“Luffy. You’re stepping on me.”

“Sorry Ace, shi-shi-shi!”

Luffy lifted his feet as Ailani set him down on her knee and Ace sat up, wiping his eyes.

"Well. Woof. This has been... quite a day. I say... Sandwiches. Shower. And... Sleep."

The two older boy nodded and Luffy perked up, looking from Ailani to his brothers.

"What's a sandwich?"

“What’s a-... Well shit you're gunna find out! Come on.”

She swept all three of them up and carried them through the bedroom door and downstairs, the boy laughing and giggling all the way to the kitchen.

  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU! Noelle and StrawFairy once again for your comments and support, it is forever appreciated and enjoyed!  
> Thank you everyone for you Kudos and support!


	18. Clear Signs

After a week and a half of school, Ailani met with the boys’ teachers.

Luffy’s teacher was a younger looking woman with her braids neatly swirled up into a large top bun, wearing a oversized collared blouse with the sleeves rolled up and dolphin patterned capris tights. Her horn rimmed glasses were folded into one of her shirt pockets. She had one leg curled underneath her as she sat on one of the children’s desks. Ailani towered over the woman, even as she knelt on one knee next to her.

“Luffy’s such a doll. It’s a challenge to get him to focus, and sometimes he goes off and does his own thing…” She waved out to the door.

Ailani looked over. “To visit his brothers?”

The woman nodded. “Mm-hmn. It’s gone down a bunch. He went from five times the first day to just once yesterday. Now _that’s_ progress. He’s pretty good at following directions as long as all the other kids are doing it too. Sometimes, they get on his side though. Apparently he’s the class’s pirate captain and they are his temporary _crew_.”

The vice admiral put a hand over her face. “Oh my god.”

The teacher raised her arms, shrugging. “Imaginative play and collaboration skills are good. He’s also super enthusiastic about his classmate’s skills. That’s really good. Makes him very popular. He loves drawing with his friends, but he doesn’t really… color in the lines. Here’s a dog he drew.”

Ailani took the picture, studying it seriously.

The dog’s face was ablong and ferret shaped. And blue. The body was green, the potato shaped legs were magenta and the jagged tail was yellow.

She handed it back. “Better than me.”

“Seriously?” The woman studied the picture.

“You can tell it’s a dog.”

The woman made a face and tucked it away. “Anyway, he needs practice with his handwriting it’s a little messy, and not always legible.”

Ailani nodded. “We’ve noticed.”

“Overall, he works well with others, which is half the battle with some of these kids, and he listens... but he also ignores me half of the time. He likes arts and crafts, but he loves music even more. Likes hearing stories but doesn’t like reading them. He can add and subtract as long as food is involved.”

“You give him prizes for doing math?”

The woman shook her head. “Like counting and adding candy. Or cereal. Or ham. Or cookies. Food gets him super focused, but having him wait until the lesson is over is a challenge.”

“Understandable.”

“He’s a nice boy, a little over energetic, but his energy is contagious. Which is good… _most_ of the time.”

Ailani smiled and bowed. “Excellent. Thank you.”

The teacher raised a hand. “Not a problem. His rubber powers are always a surprise, I keep forgetting that he has them. He’s only used it to try and to take snacks from me once. All other times it’s just to be silly. The other kids love it…and are pretty happy sharing their lunch with him… but he can be pretty pushy about it. He’s gotten pretty good making it to them if he makes them upset.”

Ailani turned to leave, still smiling. “Good. Thank you again for meeting with me.”

The woman waved it off, shaking her head. “Not a problem, any time!”

 

Ace and Pasha’s teacher was a older man with a trimmed goatee and greying brown hair that was starting to bald at the top of his head. His wide framed glasses were too big for his face.

He leaned on his desk, half sitting on it, polishing his glasses, and then putting them back on.

“Where to start… Where to start… Well… Pasha’s penmanship is beyond reproach. Someone spent a lot of time having him practice, I’ll give you that. And Ace… Ah. Ace.” The man clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

Ailani raise a brow. “There’s an issue?”

The man looked up at her. “I’m not sure. He’s quick. You can tell if a boy is slow. But he starts acting up whenever we read in class, making up lines, being sarcastic, trying to distract his classmates. And… I think Pasha’s doing his assignments for him. Ace’s handwriting isn’t that neat.”

Ailani lowered her eyes. “Oh.”

He smoothed the sides his goatee. “I think he’s trying to distract from the fact that he’s having a hard time. Using excuses and giving an attitude to make everyone think he’s just a tough guy instead of struggling. Here are some of the assignments, blank ones. You might want to spend some time going over them with him.”

Ailani took the packet, flipping through.

The man continued. “Figure that out and he should be fine. Would be a shame to put him a remedial class. Pasha’s doing fine as can be, but he starts acting up if Ace does.”

Ailani nodded. “I’ll have a chat with them. Thank you for your time.”

The man stood up and offered his hand to the taller woman. “They keep me on my toes.”

Ailani smirked, shaking it. “That’s good isn’t it?”

The man let out a short laugh. “Sometimes.”

 

The boys were waiting on the large dome shaped jungle gym on the playground when Ailani walked out. Luffy was upside down, inside of it, Ace was standing on top and Pasha was crouched next to him. They looked up as she approached.

Ace crossed his arms. “What did the old fart say?”

Ailani nodded, lower lip sticking out slightly. “Nothing bad. Just need to test you on some things, but we’ll go over that at home.”

Ace tsked. “So lame, I do all the work he sends home.”

Ailani raised a brow, looking up at them. “Do you? Or does Pasha?”

Pasha bared his teeth with a barely heard ‘oops’. Ace furrowed his brow, turning away.

Ailani waved her hand away dismissively, shaking her head. “Doesn’t really matter. Gotta test you if you know the stuff anyway.”

Luffy looked at his brothers than Ailani. “Did they do something bad?”

Ailani shook her head, looking at him. “Not really. It’s not that big a deal.”

The two older boy’s expressions relaxed as they shared a look.

“Pasha was covering for Ace, and that’s fine. That’s what brothers do. But we need to find out why Ace needs help and can’t do it himself.”

Ace clenched his fists. “I CAN DO IT! It’s just-...”

He looked away again, scowling.

“Let’s walk. I’ll go over this with you. We’ll figure out what’s wrong.”

Ace hopped off the twelve foot dome and landed in front of her, before reaching his hand up. “I can do it myself.”

She narrowed her eyes. “If you could have done it, you would've. You are a very clever boy, Ace, the teacher said so himself.”

Ace’s eyes widened and his expression softened immediately. “He said that?”

Ailani nodded, eyes relaxing. “He did. That’s why he wants me to go over these _with_ you. He has no doubt you can do it yourself. We just want to find why you _aren’t_.”

He looked to the side, putting his hand down. “Ok…”

She reached down putting her fingers through his hair. “Thank you.”

His freckled cheeks pinked up a little as he nodded and glanced up at her from the side. “Hmn.”

Pasha jumped down, rubbing the back of his head bashfully as he walked up. “Ailani, I’m sorry-... I’m sorry that I...”

She shook her head, standing up straight. “Mnm. No reason to apologize. Your intentions were good. You were just trying to be a good brother. Helping how you could. Come on. I’m in the mood for some rice bowls.”

Luffy scurried over. “I’d like mine with EXTRA meat!”

She ruffled his hair, the left side of her mouth curving up. “You got it, bud.”

Luffy giggled, pushing her hand away. “My name isn’t bud! It’s Luffy!”

“Bud, buddy, pal, luffer, chump...” She picked him up an threw him up in the air and catching him.

The little boy laughed in delight. “NO! I’M LUFFY! NO-NO-NO DON’T TICKLE MEEEE!”

The older boys laughed as the Luffy tried to wriggle free, laughing and giggling hysterically.

“So, haha we’re not in trouble?” Pasha chuckled, walking up closer.

Ailani stopped her assault on their baby brother. “Why would you be in trouble? I’m here to help you succeed, I _want_ you to do well. If you’re having trouble or having a hard time I should know so we can figure it out together. We're a family now, if not officially yet.”

Ace stopped laughing, his smile relaxing, meeting Ailani’s gaze.

“Come on.” She offered her hand. “Let’s get some grub.”

“Grub!” Luffy flailed under her arm.

Ace’s cheeks flushed and took the hand. In a flash Ailani picked him up, sitting him up in the crook of her arm.

“Pash! Grab the bags.”

Pasha looked back and ran back to where they had dropped their bags and scurried back with them.

“Can you put this in Ace’s bag. Thank you. Alright. Luffy, your bag.”

She hovered him over Pasha with one hand by his shirt, and the blonde boy laughed, lifting the bag up to his younger brother who grabbed it, before being deposited on Ailani’s shoulder. She handed off Ace’s orange and white bag to him, before scooping up Pasha and walking out the school grounds towards the restaurant.

 

“So what’s this say?” Ailani pointed to a paragraph of a short story the boys had to read and answer questions on.

They were at a booth in a small corner restaurant. Luffy was eating another rice bowl and Pasha was eating some mochi. Ace wiped his hands, shuffled closer to Ailani and picked up the paper.

He squinted at it, pulling it closer and farther from his face. “Many years ago a very poor… peasant? Bought a plot of land. One day, while he was plowing it, he caaame…”

Ace moved the paper back and forth, frowning.

“Why are you doing that?”

Ace stopped and looked up at the large woman sitting next to him. “Doing what?”

“Moving the paper.”

“To see the writing. I don’t know how you do it all the time, with how smeary everything is all the time.” He put down the paper and picked up a mochi. “It makes my head hurt.”

“Hmn.” Ailani stared at him as he munched on the gummy pastry. “And that sign.”

She pointed out the window at a sign across the street. “What does that say?”

Ace glanced up barely a second. “Baker’s Dozen.”

“And that’s not smeary?”

“No, that’s silly, it’s a sign.”

“Hmn. Hey Pash.”

“Yeah?”

“Would you be able to take Luffy home? After we finish up of course.”

“Sure, why?”

“Ace and I have to make a stop on the way home.”

“You want us to come?”

Ailani shook her head. “No need. We’ll meet you there.”

Ailani paid and sent the boys off with some mochi.

 

“Now which one looks better one… or two… one… or two…”

“They look the same."

"What about this one, one… or two…”

“Ailani, do I really have to do this.”

“Yup.”

“Uuuuuggghhh…!”

Ailani leaned against the wall until the woman in the lab coat finished her tests and turned on the light.

“Well, good news is, there isn’t much of a stigmatism, but he will need a prescription.”

Ace hopped out of the chair. “I need medicine?”

Ailani shook her head. “No, glasses.”

Ace’s eyes went wide, baring his teeth. “WHAT! Like a NERD?”

Ailani snorted and started laughing, walking over to ruffle his hair. “Maybe you are a nerd.”

“NO! I’m cool.”

“Alright cool guy let’s pick out your glasses.”

The optometrist went over to a drawer and picked out a small black framed pair. “Try these.”

He put them on and frowned, staring at a poster next to him. “Everything looks the same.”

“We need to put the right lenses in. Those are just to try the style.”

“What _style_?”

Ailani chuckled and walked over picking up an orange pair. “What about these?”

The optometrist looked over. “Oh, those are sunglasses.”

“Can we put clear lenses in them?”

“Sure!”

“Try these on. They’ll be like sunglasses, but not dark.”

Ace put them on, and looked at a hand mirror the doctor had given him. He looked to one side and then the other.

“They’ll be like shades?”

“Yeah, just will have your lenses in them instead. Cool enough for ya?”

He grinned up at her. “Yeah! I like the color!”

The woman took the frames from the boy. “I can have a pair fashioned up by tomorrow.”

Ailani lifted two fingers. “Make two.”

Ace frowned. “Why?”

“When you break one you’ll have a backup.”

Ace grumbled and looked down.

“We’ll be back.”

“I’ll have them ready for you first thing!”

 

Ailani brought all three boys the next day, since it was the weekend.

Luffy was putting on as many glasses as he could fit on his face at the same time, and Pasha followed him around, laughing.

“Alright, try these on.”

Ace put them on and checked the mirror. “Not as cool as the darker ones.”

“No way.” Ailani ruffled his hair. “You make them cool.”

Ace couldn’t help grinning.

Ailani pulled out the assignment from yesterday. “Read this.”

The older boy took it, eyes going over it, before his eyes widened. He lifted the glasses and then put them back on. He turned to Ailani. “It looks like a sign! All of it does!”

Ailani nodded, crossing her arms. “That’s how everyone else sees it Ace. Your eyes are different.”

Ace just stared at the page.

“Hey Ace!” Luffy jumped over, grabbing his arm, startling the older boy. He was wearing 4 glasses one on top of each other. “Can I try them on?”

“Sure.” Ace took them off and handed them over.

Luffy took the ones he had on and placed them on the table. He put on Ace’s new orange framed glasses.

“Wow! Everything is warped and weird! You need these to _see_?”

Ace grimaced and snatched them back, putting them back on his face, blinking a few times. He looked back at the paper.

Ailani chuckled, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I think homework’s going to be a breeze for you now.”

Ace looked up beaming. “Yeah! A piece of cake!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Ace!  
> Thank you everyone for your support!  
> Shout-out to Noelle and StrawFairy once again for your comments and support. It means a lot. Thank you!


	19. The Right Fight

The boys finally got to ride the trolley, which Luffy was super excited about.

It took them past a furniture store and Ailani ordered a three tier bunk bed since the carpenter didn’t have one in stock.

After lunch she brought them to the Navy base to say hello to Kaku while Ailani had a meeting with the Commodore and their captains. The boys ended up sparring, and other personnel started to join them. At that point the commotion in the training yard was enough to bring the officers out from their meeting.

They exited onto the second story balcony to see that Ace was going one on one with a lieutenant, a muscular bearded man with his brown hair pulled back into a short ponytail coming out of the back of his cap. His nightstick baton drawn against one of the same size wielded by Ace like his steel pipe back in Goa. There was a crowd of marines in a circle around them on the training yard, cheering for both the small eleven-year old boy and their crewmate, bets being made. Luffy was jumping up and down cheering with his whole body, while Pasha, Ace’s glasses on top of his head, yelled encouragement to his older brother. It looked like all three boys had taken some damage previously, but Ace a little more visibly so, a stream of blood coming out of his nose. The lieutenant wasn’t unscaved. His cheek was starting to turn a sickly purple and blood ran from his forehead. The man’s sunglasses were cracked and missing half a lens. After a standoff, Ace ran at the man and the lieutenant readied himself. The boy went in for a swing and the man went to block it but the hit didn’t come. Ace spun and went to the man’s feet, using enough force to sweep the much larger man off his feet. The man caught himself, hand on the ground, but Ace was already on top of him, baton at his neck with a cocky grin. The crowd erupted in equal parts thrilled and disappointed, money interchanging hands.

“He’s gun be ah demon when he grows up, y’know.” Captain Pollock sighed next to Ailani.

A toothy grin spread over her lips as she watched the boy laugh and wave to the crowd, the lieutenant hiding his face with his cap in defeat.

Ace looked up at the balcony and met her gaze. She closed her eyes, nodding once before opening her them, flashing another smile.

Watching her, Ace’s face erupted into a grin before he was tackled by Kaku and his two brothers.

The commodore, a tan lean man in a nice violet suit, took a puff from his lit cigarette, shades covering his eyes, underneath his neat sculpted short dark purple hair.

“I hope he’ll be our demon, at least.”

Ailani’s grin faded into a smile as she side eyed at the man, the smoke pouring out of his lips. She looked back at the boys laughing and being congratulated by the marines around them. Her eyes softened, watching Ace smile as shook the lieutenant’s hand.

“Who knows…” She turned and walked back inside. “Let’s continue our meeting gentlemen.”

They all filed back in behind her, the commodore putting his cigarette out on the railing, looking one more time at the little boy that took down one of his lieutenants, letting out one last puff of smoke.

 

“I’ve never been taken down by a kid before.” The lieutenant gruffed, frowning as he offered his hand.

Ace grinned, taking it firmly in his much smaller hand. “You’ve never fought me. I’ve taken down a pirate five times my size before.”

The man’s eyes widened. “What?”

Pasha frowned. “With my help!”

“Yeah!” Luffy hopped up and down. “They saved my life! I was being beat up by this BIG pirate and they burst through the wall and saved my LIFE!”

Different marines still crowded around them adding comments of disbelief and showering praise on them. Ace puffed up his chest as a smile stretched across his face, while Pasha laughed bashfully putting his hand to the back of his neck.

The lieutenant crossed his arms, a reluctant smile forming on his lips. “I guess we’re in good company here.”

The three boys grinned up at him.

 

“Looks like they got you all patched up.”

The boys looked up as the Vice Admiral entered the infirmary. Ace had his glasses back on. A dark skinned man with short black hair with side fades in a short sleeve navy uniform and a stethoscope around his neck, wrapped Pasha’s arm.

Pasha look at a bandage on his arm. “Better than we can do.”

“Years of schooling will do that. I’m a registered nurse, you know.” The medic closed the box with the gauze. “These boys are made of tough stuff, Vice Admiral, not a broken bone among them.”

Ailani walked over, playing with Luffy’s hair with a smile. “I knew that.”

Luffy grinned up at her. “Did you hear? Ace fought a really tough marine!”

Ailani chuckled, glancing at Ace who was watching her. “Not only did I hear it, I saw it too.”

“What! Did you see me fight too?” Luffy pointed to himself.

The large woman shook her head. “Next time.”

Pasha raised a brow. “Next time?”

“Do you want to train here on the weekends? There’s a bunch of tough guys here for you to fight. They have a weight room I’m sure you can use if you promise to be careful with the equipment.”

Luffy frowned. “Train with marines…?”

Ailani shrugged. “They already like you. Most of them would be happy to help you however they can. This doesn’t mean that you’re marines, of course. But you will be training with some of the strongest people on the island.”

Ace grinned. “Beating up some marines. Sound like fun.”

Ailani raised a brow. “Lieutenant Maynard won’t be as easy to beat next time. He’ll be ready for you. You might be the one being beat up. But if you want to learn to fight better and become stronger, you’ll also have to learn how to lose.”

Ace frowned, furrowing his brow. “Learn how to… lose?”

“When people here fight to train you, their objective is to make you stronger. And when they beat you, and inevitably someone will, you will have to take that defeat.”

“I don’t like losing.”

“Learn to get used to it. It’s gunna to happen a lot.”

She looked at the boys’ sour expressions and started laughing.

“Haha! Don’t you know that’s a good thing?”

“What?”

“That’s silly!”

“It’s good that we _lose_?”

Ailani’s laughter subsided. “Yes! This is the best place to lose, because no one is trying to _kill you_. Losing is a learning experience. Winning just means you continue doing what you were doing, because it works. Losing means you have to do something different. Get stronger, try new things, become better. Losing to a teacher or a peer after you have used all of your abilities and strength is the best gift they can give you. It’ll hurt, but winning leaves you worse for wear too.”

She motioned to their bandages.

Ace raised a brow. “I’d get stronger even if I won.”

“But at a much slower rate. Nothing gets you motivated like trying to take someone down.”

Pasha put a hand up to his chin. “I never thought of it like that.”

Luffy frowned. “I want to win, more than lose.”

“Then get all your losing out of the way now, while it’s safe.”

The boys all looked at her.

She continued. “Try your best of course, but the more strong opponents you fight now, the more prepared and stronger you’ll be when you are out there.”

She waved to the door to the courtyard. The docks were barely visible, with just a glimmer of the ocean.

Ace closed his eyes, brow furrowed. “So what you mean is… be happy that people can beat us now, where they can’t actually do anything bad to us...”

Pasha continued. “Because losing means we’ll just get stronger faster…”

Luffy finished off. “Because they like us and want us to get stronger!”

Ailani nodded, flashing a smile. “That’s right. Don’t get angry when you lose. Because you’re going to lose a lot, and that's good. You're going to get a lot stronger, because of everyone's hard work, including yours... Sound good?”

“Yeah!” The boys answered in unison, grinning back at the vice admiral.

“That’s the spirit, come here.” She bundled them all up in a hug. “You ready for an early dinner?”

“Food! Woo-hoo!” Luffy wriggled in her grasp.

Ailani laughed, releasing them. She nodded and thanked the medic who had a big smile on his face as he waved goodbye. Luffy waved back as they all left the infirmary, heading out of the base to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

 

“What do you mean it’s closed on Saturdays?”

The Chief Petty Officer shrugged helplessly in front of the gigantic man towering over the counter. Garp looked out into the Navy Financial Department’s empty lobby, only the two petty officers stationed at the entrance and the janitor were working that day.

“The Navy never has a day off,” grumbled the large old man under his breath, turning around and stomping out.

He pulled out a paper from his vice admiral coat, wearing his white uniform, complete with a navy colored collared shirt underneath his suit and teal tie. He unfolded the paper, it was wrinkled and slightly torn at this point, but still legible.

 

 

 

> Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp.
> 
>  
> 
> I require any documentation referring to or in regards to your biological grandson, Monkey D. Luffy. Such documents include, but are not limited to: birth certificate, medical history, legal documents of any kind; etc. Please bring the aforementioned documents to my office in the Navy Financial Department Building, Minnow Island, at your earliest availability. You should be able to find the address on your pay stub.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for your time,
> 
>  
> 
> Vice Admiral Mahi’ai
> 
> CFO of the Navy Financial Department

 

"What a pain in the ass." His brow furrowed as he crumpled the paper up back into his pocket and started walking around the city.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dudes. Thank you again for your support.  
> Thank you everyone who left a Kudos, and all of you that recently found this fic, I hope you enjoy.  
> SHOUTOUT. To Noelle and StrawFairy for your comments and constant support, you really help this motor keep on rolling.  
> THANK YOU! hahaouch and Marve for your kind words and thoughts in your comments. LOVE hearing from all of you, thank you.


	20. Irritating Relatives

The boys played on a short wall right outside the restaurant Ailani was ordering dinner from.

Ace turned and looked down the street, standing on the wall while Luffy straddled the wall kicking his legs and Pasha was crouched on the wall beside him. Suddenly Ace grabbed the both of them and pulled them off the wall, almost knocking over one of the unoccupied restaurant tables.

“Ace what-”

“SHHHHH!” He put a finger to his lips, teeth bared.

Ailani looked back from the bar, paying for the food. Ace motioned and mimed for her to stay there. Brow raised she looked to the server and shrugged.

“Keep down, we have to get Ailani.” He whispered and started his way into the restaurant, keeping low.

“What are you-”

“SHH!” He lifted a finger again, scowling at his brothers.

The two younger brothers looked at each other and then nodded, making their way back to the large woman who was now watching them, hands on her hips.

She made a face, shaking her head. “What are you-?”

“Gramps is here.”

Like being hit with a bucket of ice water, her expression changed immediately. 

She turned to the server. “Give my boys the order when it’s ready. Boys.”

She turned back to them. “Take the food home. I’ll be back soon. Don’t leave the restaurant until it’s ready.”

She moved past them, and out the restaurant. Luffy jogged up behind her.

“Lani.”

She stopped, looking back.

He looked up at her, visibly worried. “He’s not coming to take me back, is he?”

She smiled and bent down to caress his face. “No, baby.”

He frowned. “I’m not a baby.”

She smushed his cheeks with both of her hands. “Sweet babyyyy.”

“NO!”

She chuckled standing up, Luffy rubbing his face, frowning. She did a casual salute to the older boys. “I’ll be back. Meet you home.”

And disappeared from view.

 

“It’s fucking Saturday.”

Garp looked up from examining a streetside menu, to see the the woman who summoned him, frowning at him, arms crossed.

He stood up, tapping the letter in his pocket. “Well you didn’t say ‘don’t come on a Saturday.’”

“You should know that most of our staff are civilians and under union law they work 40 hours a week. Offices are always closed on the weekend.”

“You aren’t a civilian, Mahi’ai.”

She closed her eyes, mouth in a tight frown. “I work the base on the weekend. Come on. Let’s go to my office.”

“I was already there.”

“Well, you’ll have to go again.”

“I want to eat here.”

“Did you even bring the documents I asked for?”

“No.”

“Goddamn it, Garp.”

“He doesn’t have any.”

Ailani watched the old man study the menu again.

“I think I’ll have the burgers… ten of them.”

“Can you order them to go, this isn’t a conversation we should have out here.”

“Oh?” The man peered at her from the corner of her eye. “You think the office would be better? There might be surveillance snails after what happened with the last head of the Navy Financial Office.”

Ailani glared at him. “Why don’t you have the documents, Garp.”

“Why do you want them?”

She studied his face. “I want you to sign Luffy over to me.”

“Sign him over?” Garp chuckled darkly, standing up straight. “So you can put him away under lock and key?”

Ailani raised a brow, subduing the temptation to roll her eyes. “What are you talking about.”

“I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from Sengoku about Ace, I figured you didn’t have enough proof that he was Roger’s son. Luffy though… Luffy you need documents linking him to Dragon.” He waved a finger at her, walking right up to her. “You’ll have to take Luffy out of my... Cold. Dead. Hands.”

He brought his hands up to her face. He was only slightly taller than her, unable to tower over her as much as he did for others.

Ailani kept eye contact, barely blinking. “You’re such a dumbass.”

“Not as dumb as you think.”

She leaned back a little, relaxing her expression a little. “Where do think Ace is now?”

Garp watched her, brow furrowed. “He’s back in Goa… Dadan would never-...”

“She did. He lives with me now, and I’m about to finalize the paperwork to make him my son, officially. Same with Pasha- the little blonde boy you met briefly. They will take my name, and I will be their legal guardian until the day they reach adulthood. They don’t have any family or documentation so it was fairly easy to get everything set up. Luffy on the other hand is a different case. He has two living relatives. One is a criminal and unattainable. The other is... unfortunately you.”

Garp’s eyes went back and forth, trying to sort out what she said. “Your… son-”

“Sons. I want you to sign over Luffy to me as his legal guardian.”

He met her gaze. “...Why?”

She stared at him for a moment, eyeing him carefully. “I love them.”

His eyes went wide before he burst out laughing. “LOVE THEM?”

Ailani shook her head, looking to the ground as the man laughed, her arms still crossed.

She glanced to the restaurant from before and saw the boys with the take out bags looking very worried. Her expression softened and she lightly motioned them to go. Ace and Pasha nodded and they hurried Luffy away and into the crowd that was forming.

He settled down, hands on his knees. He waved a finger at her, tears in the corner of his eyes. “I didn’t know you were a comedian, Mahi’ai. Love them? As if!”

“Let’s continue this conversation at the office. We’re gaining an audience.”

“All right, all right… can’t wait to hear what you’ll make up next!” The man continued laughing hardily back down the street.

 

“Your actions up to the point have been negligent at best, and at worst abusive. I cannot in good taste or moral standing, allow you to keep custody of Luffy.”

Garp sat leaning back on one of the chairs, arms crossed, chuckling and shaking his head. “I can’t believe this.”

Ailani stood at her desk, hands planted on it. “I need you sign over custody of Luffy to me. I’ve drafted a letter, all you have to do is sign.”

She pulled a paper off of her desk, and placed it at the end of the desk. Garp stared at it for a moment before lifting it up, looking it over. A couple of moments later he put the paper down onto his lap.

“You can’t be serious.”

Her eyes narrowed even more. “Dead serious.”

The man huffed, turning to the side, peering through the large office window. “Even if you are, I don’t like you. Why should I sign him over to you?”

“You don’t have to like me to do what’s best for your grandson, and right now that’s me.”

“How can you be so sure? I had them trained-”

“You didn’t do shit.”

Garp’s eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”

“You heard me.” The woman growled through bared teeth. “Those boys trained themselves.”

The old man shrugged looking away. “So did I.”

“And look how well that turned out.”

Garp grinned. “Haha! Yeah!”

“That was sarcastic.”

The grin turned into a grimace. “Why you-”

“They’re smarter than you Garp. They’re going to be stronger than you too. They need better. Better than the feeble attempts of parenting you’ve lacklusterly imposed upon them.”

Garp lifted the letter off of his lap. “You think you can do better?”

“Anyone can do better than you, Garp.”

He jumped up from his chair. “I’M DONE WITH YOUR-”

“Did you know Ace was farsighted?”

The man seemed like he was going to jump over the desk but stopped. “What?”

“Ace can’t see anything ten inches from his face.”

“What does that have to do with-”

“EVERYTHING, Garp! You don’t know shit about these children and never have. Ace had a visual disability and no one’s ever bothered to check. All of these boys have been hurting, and you have done at best, nothing. At worst, adding to their pain and anger.”

Garp pulled away from the desk, eyes on the carpet.

“Garp.” Ailani leaned forward over the desk. “These are good boys.”

“If they listened...”

"They listen to me." The large woman looked to the side. “They have been struggling for a long time. They’re strong now, sure. But they need _more_ . They need to be _more_ than you Garp.”

The old man closed his eyes. “I know.”

“Gramps.”

Garp opened his eyes and looked down to his right to see Luffy. A couple of bandages on his arms and one on his face, straw hat on his head, brow furrowed.

“Luffy…”

Ailani turned back glancing at Luffy and then back behind Garp at the two older boys by the door. “Boys… I thought I told you to-”

Luffy balled up his fists. “I want to stay here, Gramps! I want to stay here with Lani! You can’t make me leave!”

The large man crossed his arms. “You don’t know what you want Luffy. You keep saying you want to be a pirate when you should be a Marine.”

Luffy bared his teeth. “I KNOW WHAT I WANT! I WANT TO LIVE HERE! I WANT TO TRAIN WITH MY BROTHERS! I WANT TO BECOME THE STRONGEST EVER!”

“The strongest MARINE!”

“NO!”

The old man grimaced, before turning to Ailani. “Staying with you hasn’t done him any good. He still wants to be a pirate.”

Her lip went up in a sneer. “He got that idea on _your_ watch.”

He bared his teeth, scowling at her.

The two older boys came to join Luffy on either side, watching the large man warily.

“Ace… and Pasha? Was it? Vice Admiral Mahi’ai said she wanted you as her sons, and is about to sign her name over to you.”

They looked over to Ailani who’s expression softened. “I have everything ready. I just wanted to get all of you at once.” Her brow quivered up as she smirked. “Or else Luffy might cry if he’s left out.”

The two older boys grinned.

Ace chuckled, closing his eyes. “Yeah he would.”

“Totally.” Pasha snickered.

“I WOULDN'T CRY!”

Garp studied them carefully. “You know about this?”

Ace eyed him back, brow slightly furrowed. “Yeah. We decided a week ago.”

Pasha nodded, stepping forward, partially blocking Luffy from Garp. “We asked Ailani to be our mom.”

“Yeah!” Luffy shouted from behind.

“Asked to-” Garp’s eyes widened, reeling back with laughter, hand on his forehead. “Haha! This is too much!”

He glanced to Ailani, tears in his eyes. “And you just said yes? Because they asked you to?”

She stood up straight and walked around her desk, putting a hand on Pasha, and then Ace’s heads. “They’re my kids now, whether you sign Luffy over to me or not.”

Garp continued laughing, but the boys looked up at her, smiling and eyes shining.

The man gasped in between laughter. “I don’t know what you are trying to pull but-”

“GRAMPS!”

Garp turned to look at Luffy who continued. “I want Lani to be my mom! I want to live here with her and my brothers and school and the base with all the marines that like us!”

“Base?” He looked up at Ailani.

“They trained at the navy base today.”

“Oh?”

Luffy grinned. “Ace beat a tough marine in a fight! He’s so strong!”

Ailani put a hand on Ace’s back. “He sparred with a lieutenant and won.”

Garp eyed Ace, who still watched him carefully, even though the contact made his cheeks flush a little. Garp looked back at Ailani.

“And they will be training there?”

Ailani nodded. “Every weekend.”

Garp grinned, standing up straight. “Excellent, make them into the perfect Marines!”

All four of them answered in unison. “NO.”

“WHAT?”

Ailani closed her eyes, furrowing her brow. “Who and what they turn into is no longer any of your concern.” She opened her eyes. “Sign Luffy over to me.”

Garp scowled at her, then looked at the paper, picking it up.

“...He keeps the Monkey name.”

“After all the trouble you went through to hide it? Not wise... but that’s your M.O.”

“I’m not going to let you eliminate the Monkey line.” He scribbled something on the paper then signed it, handing it to Ailani.

She reviewed it, and then examined Garp for a moment. “It’s a deal.”

She took a pen from her desk and signed it as well, adding her seal.

“Done.”

Ace came up close her, grinning. “Are we your kids now?”

Ailani smiled down at him. “Almost. This was the last piece of paperwork I needed, everything else is filled out. City Hall opens up on Monday, but maybe I can ask a favor.”

“YAY! LANI LANI!” Luffy jumped up and down and Ailani picked him up nuzzling his hair.

“I still don’t know why you’re doing this, and I don’t trust it.”

Ailani turned back to the old man sitting in one of her visitor chairs, his eyes closed and arms crossed. He opened his eyes, looking at LUffy. “It doesn’t matter. I can take him back if I need to.”

She kept her smile but her expression darkened. “No. You _can’t_.”

“Yes I _can_.”

Ailani leaned over him, smile tightening, voice unusually quiet. “I’d like… to see you… try.”

There was almost an electricity between them, papers started to quiver on the desk and around them in the room, and the hair on the boys arms started to stand on end.

Pasha cleared his throat. “Ahem. I think… the foods getting cold?”

Ailani pulled back. “Right. Vice Admiral Monkey, thank you for your cooperation. I have to lock up my office now.”

“Bitch.”

“You bet. Out.” She motioned to the door with her free hand.

Garp took his time getting up. “They better not get your poor attitude.”

“One can only hope they do. You have other matters to tend to, correct? Thank you for your time, let’s hope it’s less next time.”

He glared at her as he made his way to the door. “I sure hope so.”

He swung the door behind him unhinging it from the frame.

The boys winced at the impact, and looked up to the tall woman. A humongous grin spread across her face, and she grabbed the two older boys up in her arms to join Luffy, bouncing them up and down. “WE DID IT! You are all going to be my kids!”

All three boys cheered as she laughed, carrying them out of the office. She pushed the door open with her foot, and it fell to the floor.

“No use locking it now. Will have to call someone to fix it. But anyways! Dinner here we come!”

“Here we come!”

They made their way out of the building, spotting Garp making his way down to the base, back turned to them. Ace flipped the bird and stuck out his tongue. Ailani nodded, glancing at the boy then back to the retreating figure, keeping a close eye as they made their way in the other direction, towards home.

“Same.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Noelle and StrawFairy for your constant support!  
> Thank you all those of you who are joining us now, and all those who continue to go on this journey with us.  
> Thanks!


	21. Practice Makes Progress

Sunday, Ailani was able to reach some of her contacts in City Hall and they were able to notarize and put the documents into their records.

Exiting City Hall, there were a couple of street performers set up by the fountain at the town center, including a couple of jugglers and a living statue. A couple of kids ran past, shouting to Ace and Pasha. The boys waved.

“Hey, go ahead.”

The boys looked back at Ailani.

Pasha frowned. “But we’re officially a family now. Shouldn’t we… I don’t know, commemorate it, or something?”

The large woman bent down, ruffling his curly blonde hair. “I’m going to be your mom for the rest of your life. Now go have fun with your classmates. Luffy. Would you come with me?”

Luffy, already halfway down the stairs pointed to his brothers, frowning. “I wanna play with them.”

Ailani nodded. “You can catch up with them later. I wanted us to have some one on one time to test out your devil fruit.”

Ace jumped down the last of the city hall steps, turning back to Luffy and Ailani. “Yeah, actually make something useful out of that lame power of yours.”

“HEY! It's AWESOME! You’ll see!”

Ace snickered as Pasha gave him a disapproving look, meeting him at the bottom of the stairs.

Luffy looked up at Ailani, brow furrowed, and hands up in fists. “Train me!”

Ailani raised a brow, chuckling. She turned to Ace. “Nice motivator.”

Ace grinned widely and gave a thumbs up. “See you later!”

“Bye!” Pasha started jogging after Ace, punching him in the shoulder, making the older boy laugh.

Ailani cupped her hands over her mouth calling after them. “We’ll be at the base!”

The boys waved in the distance and she waved back.

She put her hands on her hips and looked down at Luffy, straw hat on his head, blocking his face from view. “You ready?”

He looked up at her, eyes shining but face determined. “Ready!”

 

“I want my punches to be like pistols!”

The small dark haired boy punched the air, oversized straw hat hanging from his neck on his back. He was wearing the t-shirt with a dog on it and jean shorts. The onesie, he decided, wasn’t really good for training. The training yard at the base was empty. There were a few training dummies on the side, and five boulders lined up past the jogging track.

Ailani studied him for a moment.

She turned and head off the training yard. “Come with me.”

Luffy frowned, putting his fist down. “I thought you were going to train me!”

“You need to see something first.”

Luffy scurried after her. They went through a hallway, past a shooting range that only had one petty officer using it, Luffy covered his ears at each rifle shot. They came to a door with dial on it. After twisting it a few times, Ailani opened it, walking inside. Rows of guns and rifles were neatly arranged in racks. She walked over to a box and pick up a small metal ball.

“This is a pistol round. It’s what hits you when you shoot a pistol.”

She put it in Luffy’s hand. “What can you tell me about it.”

Luffy frowned at her then at the sphere in his hand. “It’s small… and round like a marble.”

“Right.” She pointed to it. “Smaller than your hand. So how can something _so small_ hurt someone more than _your fist_?”

Luffy’s eyes widened as he looked up at her. “I don’t know! Is it because they're fast?”

“That's part of it. If you want to have your fists make an impact like a pistol shot, you need to know how it does it. Find out how and why it causes damage, then you can find a way to do the same.”

Luffy furrowed his brow looking at the round in his hand. “Do you know why?”

“I do.” Ailani bent down. “The more amount force that you put on a smaller amount of area, of space, the stronger the impact. That’s why blades cut people so easily. A blade’s edge is so thin that a sharp blade takes limited force, barely any, to cut someone. Trying to do so with, I don’t know... a pipe. Takes a lot more force.”

Luffy’s mouth gaped open. “You can cut someone with a PIPE?”

Ailani bobbed her head side to side. “Depends on the material the pipe is made out of, it might break instead. If the pipe is strong enough, and you exert enough force… yes. You can cut a person in half with a blunt object.”

“Whoa.” He stared at her, eyes wide.

“ _Yeah_.” Ailani raised her brows, nodding slowly.

He looked back at his hand. “But bullets are round.”

“They are small, they’re hard and they go really, really fast.  Fast enough to go through skin and do damage. You make a bullet go faster by using more force. That’s why a lot of bullets go through people, tearing a hole through them.”

Luffy made a fist with his other hand, examining it, then the bullet. “So… I have to either make my hand smaller or just move faster…”

“You are at a little disadvantage because you are made out of rubber, and rubber is softer than metal. But... I don't think you want to tear a hole in someone, so maybe that's good.”

Luffy nodded staring at his hands.

Ailani padded his back. “Let’s go see what we can do with that in mind.”

Luffy grinned up at her. “YEAH!”

 

Ailani watched Luffy’s fist fly past the dummy, arm flopping onto its shoulder. Her own hand rested as a fist on her lips. She pointed as he retracted his arm.

“Ok. I see what’s going on here. You are focusing too much on force and your aim is off. You get a little shaky at the end. Let’s focus on hitting a target, instead of causing damage. Sort of like when we first met.”

“That’s right!” Luffy brightened up. “I was able to catch your arm!”

Ailani grinned. “Wanna try that again?”

“Yeah!”

Ailani jogged back, holding out her arm. “Try from here.”

“Gummo-gummo no... “ He pulled back his arms. “SLING!”

The arms shot out, going over her arm, Luffy strained, pulling back a little, hands doubling back, and looping around her arm. Then he shot off, going over her arm and spinning around it, landing crouched on top of Ailani's arm.

Ailani eyed him over as he attempted to keep his balance, a little dizzy. “That was pretty cool, buddy.”

Luffy’s mouth scrunched up. “But I sorta missed.”

“You did that cool spin around, and landed on your feet. Can you do that to that pole to spin back?”

She motioned to one of the unlit lamp posts that lit up the training yard at night. The small boy on her arm looked over, brow furrowing. “Ok.”

He pulled his arms back, eyes focused. “Gummo-gummo no…”

His arms slung around the pole a couple of times and he let himself loose. He went around a little too much and splattered on the base wall.

Ailani walked over chuckling as Luffy stood up, rubbing his face. “That needs a little work, but that will be pretty cool once you get it down. You might be able to use your stretching power to pull yourself, or sling yourself somewhere you can’t reach otherwise. Or maybe even get there faster than running. You wanna try again?”

The boy grinned up at her. “Yup!”

Ailani marked a four foot circle on the training ground, and Luffy tried a the better part of an hour to spin himself off the pole and land in that spot. He almost made it… once.

In his last attempt the seven year old lay face down in the dirt, five feet away from the target.

“This is haaaaaaaaard!” He kicked his feet up behind him, wiggling in frustration.

Ailani bent down rubbing his back. “Yeah… it’s your first time trying it. How about we clean up and we find your brothers. We can come back later if you’d like.”

Luffy sat up, wiping off his face. “I wanna try a few more times.”

“Go for it.”

After a five more tries he was able to land a foot away, keeping his balance as he slid over. He frowned at the circle and tapped it with his hand, looking up at Ailani. “Close.”

“You’re already getting the hang of it. That’s a big improvement. I think you’ll have it within a week. I’m sure of it. Wanna take a break and find your brothers?”

The little boy grinned as he stood up, dusting his hand off. “Let’s get LUNCH!”

Ailani grinned back, ruffling his hair. “Let’s get lunch.”

 

They found the boys in a group in front of the library, close to the park. Ace trying to balance on a skateboard, scooting forward tentatively.

“ACE!” Luffy rushed up waving his arms wildly.

“Wha-” Ace looked up, instantly losing balance, slipping back, the skateboard flying up and then pegging him the face. Pasha and the other boys laughed.

“‘This isn’t so hard, babies could do this.’” Pasha repeated in something like Ace’s voice.

Ace’s face turned red as he licked his busted lip.

He sat up. “LUFFY! You distracted me!”

“Shi-shi-shi, sorry!” Luffy grinned, trotting over.

Ailani bent down, checking Ace’s lip with her thumb. “You alright?”

Ace looked to the side, but didn't pull away. “Yeah… I... shoulda paid more attention... Here you go.”

He handed the skateboard to a darker skinned boy slightly shorter than him, hair in multiple small braids covering his head. The boy looked at the board. “No blood on it. That woulda been hardcore.”

All the older boys laughed. Luffy furrowed his brow. “Hard...core?”

The boy with the skateboard answered. “Like tough… cool… hardcore.”

Luffy cheered. “I'll be hardcore!”

They all laughed.

Ace chuckled. “You are a soft, spongy marshmallow.”

Luffy frowned, furrowing his brow, hands balled up into fists. “No I’m tough!”

Ailani bent down next to Luffy. “You’re getting there. Hardcore seems cool, but it usually implies doing things without considering your own safety. Like practicing with a skateboard without pads or a helmet. Your lip might get busted.”

Ace padded his lip with his finger. “Wearing a helmet and stuff would look lame. We’ve done more dangerous stuff than this.”

Ailani shrugged. “Just be ready to wipe out, then.”

Pasha raised a brow. “Wipe out?”

The boy with the skateboard nodded. “Yeah, wipe out means doing what Ace did. Happens all the time, that’s why there’s a word for it.”

Ace perked up. “Really?”

Ailani and the boy answered in unison. “Really.”

The boy laughed. “I’m Jenson by the way. Are you Ace and Pasha’s mom?”

Ailani smiled, standing up. “I am. Are you all in the same class?”

While the boys in the group answered her, Ace grinned and looked away, and Pasha smiled his cheeks rosy, unable to figure out what to do with his hands. Luffy just practiced his turn on a lamp post behind them.

Ace glanced over, noticing him. “Luff. What are you doing?”

“Trying to swing around the post. Been practicing.”

“You don’t need rubber powers to do that.”

“But I can do it better! Just need to practice so I land where I want to land.”

Ailani turned around. “He’s already a lot better than he started. We figured it might be a good time to eat, so we went looking for you.”

“Lunch time!” Luffy flung himself off the pole and Ailani sidestepped to catch him before he ran into an old couple walking a dachshund. The dog started barking at them.

Luffy laughed apologetically as Ailani brought him into her arms.

“Shi-shi-shi! A lot more practice.”

Pasha trotted over. “That was pretty fast, Luff. Good catch, A-... mom.”

Ailani’s cheeks pinked up, staring at Pasha. The boy stared down at the pavement, face red like a tomato. Ace grinned, stuffing hands in his pockets, shifting in one spot, glasses obscuring his eyes.

“We’ll meet ya later! See ya!” Jenson waved and he and the other boys ran off.

Luffy waved and then grinned back at his family. “Let’s get lunch! ... Why are all your cheeks red?”

The other three turned away, smiling.

“What do you boys want for lunch? I can make some sandwiches.”

“That sounds good.”

“...yeah.”

And they started their way, Luffy’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What happened! What'd I miiiiiisss!”

 

They made their sandwiches together, Luffy making a mess with the condiments. Pasha talked about the radio station in the city they learned about, and asked Ailani if she had a radio. She did not, the last one braking over a year ago. Ace brought up the release forms they forgot to give Ailani to let them go to the city library with their class tomorrow. 

Luffy tried using the mustard container as target practice, but Ace caught it before it hit the wall, glaring at him as it splat some into his hair.

"Luffy." Ailani narrowed her eyes. "We have to take that outside. Too many things to break in here."

The seven year old frowned, chewing a whole sandwich in his mouth. Ace went into the kitchen to put the mustard away and get washed up in the sink.

She looked out the window to the fire escape outside. "We couuuld... set something up on the roof."

The two boys at the table looked up. "The roof?"

Ailani nodded, looking back. "We can set up a few cans and bottles and you can try hitting them."

Ace came out of the kitchen, drying his hair with a dish towel. "We can get onto the roof?"

"We have roof access through the fire escape."

They all clambered out the window, Ailani having the hardest time squeezing through out of all of them, bonking her head on the metal grating, making the whole fire escape shake. They carried a few empty shampoo bottles and used cans up to the roof.

The boys looks out across the city, and out into bay and the ocean beyond. Ailani set up a line as they looked around.

She dusted her hands off, surveying the state of the roof.

"Damn there's a lot of bird crap up here. Have to clean it at some point. Anyways. Luffy, wanna give it a go?"

Luffy turned away from the ledge with a grin, stretched out his arm. "Gummo Gummo no..."

And let it fly, knocking a can up into the air. It spun up and over the ledge, clanging against multiple walls, a metal gutter and the family looked over the ledge to see it noisily making its way down the alley, rolling to a stop almost a block away. Dogs from all the surrounding buildings were barking like crazy and cats fled to different alleys. Groups of pigeons flew up from a few of the surrounding rooftops.

They all grimaced as they all pulled away from the ledge looking at each other. 

Ailani, a hand on her hip, motioned vaguely to the bottles and cans. "I think we need to uhhh... put like a board or something up, to... not kill someone... or break something by accident."

Pasha nodded, crossing his arms. "There are definitely a lot of windows down there."

Ace pointed at Luffy. "He didn't hit any though!"

Ailani put her hands up. "A successful test!"

They all laughed.

"Let me see if we have anything downstairs... Come on."

They were able to find some cardboard squeezed up in a closet, and they taped it up along the ledge as best they could.

"It'll be thrashed beyond recognition when it rains, but it'll work for now. Ok Luff. Try again."

The boy practiced for a little bit, only one plastic bottle escaping. The older boys scrambled down the emergency escape, racing each other to retrieve it, finding a couple more in the alley as well.

"Rad. Good job kids." Ailani padded their heads after they fixed a new line for Luffy to try.

They both grinned. Ace looked over to the row of buildings adjacent to theirs. 

"Hey La-... mom..." His expression changed as pink flushed across his freckled cheeks.

Ailani turned slightly away, trying to rein in her smile. "Yeah?"

"Uuuhmm... so these buildings are super close together... do you think we can use the roofs to get around town?"

"Hmn... Technically, they're private property. Just don't let anyone catch you doing it. Don't get caught and you can go right ahead. I know you'll be safe, you're excellent jumpers."

Ace and Pasha lit up, super excited. "Really!"

Pasha turned to Ace. "This'll be great!"

Ailani raised a finger. "Be careful where you land. People can hear you if you go running on their roof."

"Can we go _now_?"

"Go down to the end of the street and come back. See how softly you can land. Like a cat."

"Me too! Me too!" Luffy waved his arms, coming up to his brothers.

"Go for it. Don't need to tell you to be careful."

Ace grinning at his brothers, smile taking up half of his face. "You ready?"

"READY!" The brothers cheered in unison.

They all took a running start, and made their landing.

"First try, not bad!" Ailani called after them, taking a seat at the ledge. "Keep going!"

The boys nodded, running off. The older boys transitioned to running on the ledge and Luffy tried as well, his balance needing a little more work. It took until their 4th building for Luffy to slip, missing the ledge. Ailani stood up, but a hand stretched up over the ledge before catching it. Luffy vaulted up from the gap between the buildings, landing on the roof face first. Ailani laughed, shaking her head as she sat back down. The two older brothers checked on him and all three of them continued making their way down the street. She watched them look down at the end to the street below, before turning and making their way back.

"Lani! Lani! Did you see?"

"I did! Excellent catch, bud."

Ace scowled at his youngest brother bonking him on his head after they landed on their roof. "You're supposed to call her 'mom' now."

Ailani waved a hand in front of her face. "He doesn't have to if he doesn't want to. I don't want to force you to call me that."

Pasha's brow furrowed up with concern. "You don't like us... calling you 'mom'?"

Ace did a double take, eyes widening, mouth forming a grimace.

Ailani's eyes widened, cheeks pinking up. "No that's..." She looked to the side fidgeting with her hair. "I... I like it. I'm just... still getting used to it."

Luffy bounced up, grinning up at her. "Then I'll call you mom too!"

She grinned, before picking him up in a hug, nuzzling his face. "Ok."

Ace ran up and pounced, hugging her side. Pasha laughed and ran up on the other side, Ailani catching him, before adding Ace, pulling him up to join the group hug.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Everyone! Thank you!  
> Special shoutout to Saringold, Noelle, StrawFairy, oof and smallweirdo for your wonderful comments last chapter, totally brought a smile to my face, it means a lot!  
> Thank you everyone who left kudos, those of you that continue to follow up, and those of you finding this fic for the first time!  
> Thank you everyone for your support!


	22. Mutiny

Ailani looked up from her desk while working at the Navy Financial Office. The newly fixed door to her office opened, having been refitted earlier that day. There was Luffy, tiny in comparison to the door, straw hat covering half of his face.

She checked the clock. “Luffy… school doesn’t end until-”

He had already made his way to her, crawling onto her lap. He gave her a hug, hat tilting back.

“What are you-”

“No one wants to be in my crew anymore.”

Ailani’s eyes widened and then softened. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him, smoothing down his hair, his hat falling to his back. She felt a wet spot start to form on her shirt.

He looked up at her, tears bubbling from his eyes, and snot from his nose.

“What did I do _wrong_?”

“Nothing, baby.” She kissed his forehead and he leaned his cheek into her shoulder. She rubbed his back, nuzzling his hair with her face. “They probably told their parents about your temporary crew.”

Luffy nodded. “Soaka said his dad got mad at him and he can’t play with me anymore. No one’s talking to me anymore.”

“The teacher won’t talk to you?”

“She does.”

“Does she know this is going on?”

Luffy shook his head, burying his face deeper into her shirt. “I don’t think so.”

“Did you tell Ace and Pasha?”

He shook his head again. “They weren’t in their room.”

“Ah, their field trip to the library...” Ailani looked out the window to the main office. She watched as a few people crossed the walkway on the second floor.

She pet his head for a moment, before she spoke.

“I should have told you that this might happen.”

Luffy turned his head to look at her, his eyes red and puffy. “What?”

Ailani looked at him, brows tilting sympathetically. “This is a Navy town. Nearly everyone here has family in the Navy or knows someone in the Navy. Most people in the Navy hate pirates.”

“Why?”

“Pirates hurt people.”

Luffy turned his head, looking down at the red striped carpet for a moment, brow furrowed. “Does the Navy hurt people?”

Ailani nodded. “They do. There are bad people in the Navy and bad people who are pirates. There are bad people in nearly all occupations and that come from anywhere and everywhere.”

“Then why wont my friends’ moms and dads let them play with me?”

“Because they are afraid of their kids turning into bad people.”

Luffy’s eyes widened and he sat up looking very worried. “They’ll turn into bad people because of ME?”

Ailani chuckled, wiping tears from his face. “No, baby. They think all pirates are bad people.”

“But that’s not true! Shanks is a good person, AND his crew! They saved my life!”

Ailani frowned, furrowing her brow slightly. “I don’t know Red-Haired Shanks personally… but I understand why he would save you, even if he was only a half decent person to begin with.”

Luffy frowned at her. “What?”

She put her forehead against his, eyes softening. “Because you are a very lovable person.”

Luffy grinned as she rubbed their faces together.

His mom continued. “Your friends aren’t trying to hurt you. They’re scared that their parents will be angry at them for pretending to be pirates. I’m sure your classmates like you _very much_.”

He pulled away a little, looking up into her eyes. “You think so?”

She cupped his face with her hands. “I know so. The only reason their parents reacted so badly is because they don’t know you. If they knew you, they wouldn’t have worried so much.”

Luffy grinned, and then suddenly he frowned again. “Because they wouldn’t think I’d be a pirate?”

Ailani laughed. “It’s because you are sweet little boy that loves his friends and only wants to go on adventures and be happy. The only people that don’t like you after meeting you aren’t worth their weight in salt.”

Luffy scrunched up his face. “What’s that mean?”

“They aren’t worth your time or your worry. Let’s pick up a snack on our way back to school. Let’s talk to your teacher, and get this all sorted out.”

Luffy rubbed the remaining dampness off his face, then grinned up at her. “Ok!”

There was a knock at the door as a familiar dark haired woman walked in, flipping through papers.

“These are the-” She looked up, eyes widening, mouth forming into a thin line as she took a step back, covering the bottom half of her face with the documents. “What’s he-? Is he sick? Do I need to put on a mask and gloves?”

Ailani made a face. “Vedika, he’s fine. I _do_ need to take him back to school.”

“Did something happen?”

“Nothing that won’t be resolved. See you in a few.”

“A few what, days? We do have a deadline, you know.” Vedika crossed her arms as they passed.

“Hours, Vedika. No more than two. I promise.” Ailani flashed two fingers as they turned the corner.

 

When they arrived at Luffy’s classroom, the plump woman from the office head the class.

She looked up as Ailani opened the door. “Oh!”

“Excuse us. Where is Luffy’s teacher?”

The woman looked down to where Luffy was partially hiding behind Ailani’s leg. Her eyes widened. “Luffy…” She looked up at Ailani. “We attempted to call you after they found out Luffy was missing. The teacher was called to the main office to meet with another parent.”

At this point all the kids in the classroom were looking up from their activities. A girl stood up from her seat, pointing to the door.

“Luffy’s back!”

“Luffy!”

Luffy peaked over, brow furrowed.

The woman from the office waved her hands back and forth trying to stop them. “Wait-wait wait children please-”

But half of the class was already out of their seats, two girls were already hugging Luffy, one little boy was opening weeping, holding his hand. Luffy just stood in shock as he got consumed by a classwide group hug.

Ailani smiled, patting his head as she gingerly pulled away from the mob of children. He looked up and over them as she did, and grinned.

 

It was easy to find the right office. Ailani could hear the shouting from out in the hall. She let herself behind the counter and opened the door, revealing an ash blonde haired man with a dark mustache, dressed in whites with Lieutenant Commander insignia.

“-AND IF YOU FUCKING THINK I WILL JUST LET YOU FILL MY KID WITH THIS FUCKING FILTH, YOU GOT ANOTHER THING COMING! I can’t believe that you let this woman even near our children let alone work here-”

An older man with grey hair that had fully receded to a ring around the back of his head sat behind his desk. When he saw the door open he stood up. “Vice Admiral.”

She let herself in, nodding to Luffy’s teacher who was sitting up tall but holding back tears, mouth in a tight frown.

The man making the ruckus spun around, eyes wide. He saluted. “Vice Admiral!”

“At ease. Would you mind explaining to me why you are harassing these poor people?” She motioned to Luffy’s teacher and a quick smile briefly twitched onto the darker skinned woman’s lips, before disappearing just as quickly.

He turned to the principal, baring his teeth. “You called the VICE ADMIRAL on me?”

Ailani raised her hand. “They did no such thing. I came of my own accord. I need to speak to my son’s teacher about an incident.”

The man motioned to Luffy’s teacher. “Her? Then we’re probably here for the same thing! I couldn’t believe my fucking- excuse my language- ears when I heard my son, MY SON, saying he was in some... pirate crew, headed by some kid that arrived two weeks ago. I almost knocked him out then and there. Can you believe? HERE. In this town, this bitch let some fuckin small island piece of shit hillbilly kid poison our kids minds with this… this GARBAGE! Just let them to DECIDE TO BE A PIRATE A CREW! PIRATES! ‘Imaginative play’ my ass. They should give this kid a few lashes and throw this kid in the brink for a few days and see how he likes being a pirate after THAT!”

During all this the principal and Luffy’s teacher’s eyes widened, sharing a look. Ailani widened her stance, crossing her arms as a grin steadily grew across her face.

She blinked a few times, looking down, still smiling. “Well. I can clearly see you are very passionate about how these children decide to play… You said that you almost… ‘knocked’ your kid out over this, did I hear you right?”

“Damn right, I told him him that too. If he EVER thought of even THINKING about being one of those fucking criminals, BAP!” He hit one hand against the other, making Luffy’s teacher jump a little bit. “Don’t worry Vice Admiral, my son’s not going to be some filthy criminal, he’s going to grow up into a MARINE.”

Ailani’s eyes narrowed, smile thinning. “Ok, ok, cool-cool just checking. And your name, Lieutenant Commander?”

“Jonas, ma’am.”

“And which captain do you report to?”

“Captain Bastille, ma’am.”

She shook her head. “Should’ve known. Alright. I will advise him to give you mandatory three days disciplinary leave. I will give the green light for you to get some counseling for your blatant anger… issues, and maybe work on your conflict resolution.”

The man’s face fell and his shoulders slumped. “What-... what you mean? I don’t understand…”

“Threatening your seven year old with violence, because he wasn’t playing the way you liked isn’t a reasonable response by any stretch of the imagination. Makes me question how you might react unfavorably in other situations.”

“In all due respect, how I choose to raise my kids is none of the Navy’s concern-”

“How you treat people weaker than you and under your care is _definitely_ our concern, Lieutenant Commander Jonas. As you do have men under your care, if you aren’t able to control your emotional reactions with your own flesh and blood, how are you going to treat the personnel that report to you? Prisoners under your care? I don’t want an incident and I would like to nip this type of behavior in the bud right now. You might be tempted to find this annoying or a waste of time but please take this counseling seriously. It _will_ help you in the long run. I will inform Captain Bastille of the situation. We look forward to having you back soon. You are dismissed.”

Ailani motioned to the door. The man nodded weakly, making his way out of the office, looking very hesitant and confused.

Ailani closed the door behind him. She turned to the two remaining occupants and bowed. “I apologize that one of my men caused you so much trouble. I will strive to improve so this will not happen again.”

Luffy’s teacher raised her hands. “No-no, that’s fine!”

The principal nodded adamantly. “We’re glad you came. I’m relieved the office got ahold of you, Luffy is missing!”

“I brought him back. He got upset, couldn’t find his brothers and went to find me.”

“Oh no!” The young woman put a hand up to her mouth. “What happened to him? They were all on the playground and when I called everyone back to go inside, Luffy was missing!”

“Apparently this man isn’t the only one that got upset at the ‘temporary pirate crew’. The class said didn’t want to play with Luffy anymore.”

“Oh Luffy, sweet baby. He must have been heartbroken.”

Ailani nodded, mirroring the teacher’s sympathetic look. “I think they might have made up now. I brought him back and they were happy to see him. You might want to go check on them. If any more parents come with anymore complaints, please forward them to me and I will address them personally.”

The principal stood up and shook her hand. “Thank you so much for your help.”

She shook her head. “No worries. Now, I have to get back to work.”

“Of course, of course, please!”

 

“Hey Mom! Did you know they had books on ROBOTICS in the library?”

Ailani chuckled, passing dumplings onto each of the boy’s plates. “No I did not.”

Pasha stuffed one in his mouth, flipping through the large book, balancing it half on the table, half off. “Could build a _robot_!”

“You can put that toolbelt to good use. Let me know what parts you’ll need, we’ll pick them up sometime this week.”

“Awr yeh goonna murk eht ffoot miffels?”

“Luffy, chew your food.”

He swallowed and stood in his seat. “Are you going to make it shoot MISSILES? OH OH OH! Make its ARMS missiles!!!”

Pasha made a face. “To shoot what?”

Luffy shrugged sitting back down. “Stuff.”

“Ace.”

“Hmn.”

“Did you find anything interesting at the library?”

“Maybe…”

Pasha motioned his chopsticks in his direction. “You were reading for an awful long time with a big stack of books for it to be a maybe.”

Ace narrowed his eyes at Pasha before looking down to his food. “Just some mystery books, and stuff.”

Ailani smiled. “Mystery? How fun.”

Ace looked up, smiling a little. “Yeah... There was a boy detective that solved mysteries on his island. At the end of each mystery, they ask how he figured it out… I was only able to guess it about half the time.”

“Half the time is still really good. Have you ever read anything like that before?”

Ace shook his head, swallowing a dumpling down. “Most of it was common sense. Like when a boy’s tent was stolen, and the idiot who stole it's story didn’t make sense. It was raining all day, and he said he set it up in the morning, but the floor was dry in the tent. That one was super easy. Or like when someone said they were blind, but they had the light on and a newspaper in their room. The ones I missed usually had to do with history and stuff.”

“That’s very smart Ace. Not everyone can guess that.”

“Y-yeah?” Ace’s face flushed a little and he looked back to his food.

“I almost lost my crew today.”

“What?” Both his brothers turned to Luffy.

Luffy nodded, piling more food onto his plate, spilling rice onto the table.

“Yup. But I fixed it. Sometimes, some of my class will be in my crew, sometimes they will be Marines. And when they get bored with that they’ll switch. This’ll make it more fun.”

“Oh?” Ace raised a brow. “They got bored being in your crew? You’re a shoddy captain, then.”

Luffy glared at him. “No! They just didn’t want to get in trouble, so they said they didn’t want to be in my crew anymore. This way they can play Marines if they need to.”

Pasha’s brow furrowed. “Why would they get in trouble?”

“Some _crew_ you got there Luffy.” Ace’s eyes narrowed as he continued eating.

Ailani interjected. “Some of them got yelled at by their parents when they learned about Luffy’s temporary crew. They got scared and told Luffy they couldn’t play with him anymore.”

Ace looked up. “How do _you_ know?”

“Luffy couldn’t find you when you happened, so he found me.”

Ace pressed his lips together. “Luffy, don’t run to Ai- I mean Mom, every time you have a problem.”

Luffy studied his food, frowning. “I was really sad they didn’t want to be my friends anymore. And angry. I didn’t know what to do.”

Pasha chuckled and leaned over to push Luffy's shoulder with his fist. “Why wouldn’t they want to be friends with you?”

“Yeah and if they didn’t want to be friends with you, who cares?” Ace looked away taking a bite of food. “Anyone who doesn’t want to hang out with you’s lame.”

Luffy’s mouth stretched into a big smile. “Mom said the same thing.”

“Oh?” Ace glanced over to meet Ailani’s eyes, before looking away. “Because she has good taste, is all.”

Luffy’s mouth grew into a large grin. “Anyone that doesn’t like me can eat salt!”

“What?” Pasha gave him a baffled look.

Ace narrowed his eyes at him. “What does that even mean? We all eat salt, Luffy.”

Ailani laughed as Luffy scooped a big mouthful of rice into his mouth, grinning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nike, small weirdo, StrawFairy and Noelle for your comments!  
> Thank you everyone for supporting this piece!  
> I'm glad we're all having a good time with this.


	23. Haunted Spaces

“I don’t think Mom knows we had a half day today.”

“Oh! Oh! Look at this!” Luffy ran, pug backpack bouncing on his back, now sporting a doll sized straw hat of its own. He pointed to a store window.

His brothers walked up as the small boy bounced up and down in place. In the window, one of small mannequins had a hoodie with a furry hood and ears, paws for pockets. Luffy looked back at them, stars in his eyes. “I could be… a LION!”

Ace squinted. “Is that what it is?”

“Yeah-yeah! Look at its tail!”

The two older boys tilted their heads to see around the mannequin. It did have a tail.

“Look at that.”

“A lion.”

The two older boys shared a look as Luffy dug in his bag.

“I think I can wear this to school! It’s a jacket and I’d have my uniform underneath so that should count! Ok!”

He pulled out the frog shaped coin purse and opened its mouth. He sifted through the coins with a finger counting out loud.

“Hey Luffy….”

“Not now! Busy.”

Ace crossed his arms and Pasha sighed, waiting for the seven year old to finish.

He looked up at them. “Is 52 and a half berries enough, you think?”

“A half?” Pasha raised a brow.

Luffy lifted up a cracked coin. “Yup. Bit it in half. Lost the other half.”

Pasha frowned. “Did you swallow it?”

“NO!”

Ace rolled his eyes. “I don’t think that’s enough to get-”

“Help me get it!” The small, dark haired boy grinned. “You have money left! I know you do!”

“No.”

“Luffy-” Pasha raised a hand up but Luffy already clung onto Ace.

“Whyyyyyy!!! I promise promise PROMISE I’ll make it up to youuuuuuu! _Pleeeeeaaaaaassssseeee_!”

Ace’s brow twitched, eyes obscured by the lenses of his glasses. “Luffy.”

“PLEEEEEAAAAAASSSEEE!!!”

Pasha sighed, making eye contact with Ace, before squatting next to Luffy, who was half splayed out on the pavement, arms elongating, slowly twisting more and more around Ace.

“Shouldn’t you ask Mom first?”

“But,” Luffy looked up at him, eyes big, frowning slightly. “I want it now.”

Ace glared at him. “And if she got it for you already? Your birthday's a week away.”

Luffy stared at him for a moment, before his face widened to an enormous grin. “I have it _ALREADY_?”

Ace turned away as the clinging transitioned to a hug. “I’m just saying she _may_ or may _not_ have have gotten it for you already.”

“That means YES!”

The eldest brother’s frown deepened, Luffy’s face squishing against his.

Pasha laughed. “You just can’t keep a secret, huh?”

Ace turned to him, glaring. “You would’ve told him if I didn't!”

“ _Fair_ , but you did.” Pasha passed them towards the apartment.

“fAiR bUt **YoU** dId.” Ace mocked.

The blonde boy turned around, sticking out his tongue. Ace stuck his tongue back. Luffy licked the side of Ace’s face.

“WHAT? AH! LUFFY NO!” Ace tried to pry the rubber arms off of him, Luffy laughing hysterically, Pasha laughing with him. When he couldn’t escape through force Ace started tickling the smaller boy’s sides to loosen his hold before throwing him onto the ground. Luffy giggled on the ground before rolling back up and onto his feet. Ace wiped off his face, grimacing in disgust.

He glared at his youngest brother. “ _Gross_ , Luffy.”

“Shi-shi-shi! Let’s go home and see if we can find it!”

“Luffy…”

“Your birthday’s not even here yet.”

“She won’t mind!” Luffy ran past Pasha, hopping as he went by.

Ace shook his head. “Says you.”

Luffy grinned as he made his way down the street, his brothers following close behind. “Says ME!”

 

Pasha went to unlock the apartment door. “Huh, it’s already unlocked.”

Ace followed him in, taking off his loafers and placing them haphazardly on the shoe rack, one falling off onto the ground. “Did we forget to lock it?”

Luffy bounced in, tossing his backpack onto the couch, kicking his shoes off, and running upstairs.

Pasha locked behind them and proceeded to neatly place his shoes on the rack. He followed his brothers, grimacing as he passed Luffy’s shoes in the hallway. “I’m not putting them on the shoe rack for you.”

A voice echoed happily from upstairs. “Ok!”

Pasha joined his brothers in their mom’s room. Luffy was wriggling under the bed, legs exposed. Ace was leaning against a dresser, arms crossed.

Pasha raised a brow. “Not helping him?”

Ace scowled. “No way.”

They watched as Luffy slowly got consumed by the bed, only his feet remained visible.

“It’s really dusty down here. Lots of stuff, but nothing cool.”

Ace closed his eyes frowning. “Then she probably didn’t hide it there. You can tell if something’s new if it’s less dusty then the rest.”

Pasha smirked. “What book is that from?”

“Shut up.”

“I’m… I’m stuck.”

They looked at Luffy’s wiggling feet.

Ace grinned. “Good. You’re stuck there until mom gets back. Bye.”

“NO-NO-NO!!!” The bed heaved a little as the wiggling intensified.

Pasha and Ace chuckled, walking over.

Pasha knelt down. “Hey, his feet are exposed. We could tickle him and he couldn’t do anything.”

“NO!”

Ace and Pasha snickered as Luffy wriggled himself out with almost amazing speed.

The small boy scowled at them from the floor, black hair and school uniform powdered with grey dust. “Not FAIR!”

Pasha chuckled. “I thought you were stuck?”

Ace raised his brows, feigning innocence. “We were just coming to save you, dear brother of ours that we love _very much_.”

Pasha laughed at Ace who grinned.

Luffy patted dust off his clothes, examining his shirt, frowning. “You made me tear my shirt.”

Ace narrowed his eyes, mouth forming a line. “We didn’t make you go under the bed.”

“You could’ve helped and not tried to TICKLE me.”

“But you were vulnerable.”

“And at our mercy.”

Luffy side eyed them both of his brothers, frown deepening.

Pasha shook his head, smiling. “She wouldn’t have hid it there anyways.”

Luffy’s face relaxed. “Oh? Where do you think she did?”

Ace glanced around the room. “You’re short. She would have hid it somewhere high.”

Luffy’s eyes widened, hitting his hand with his fist. “That’s right! It’s on the roof!”

Ace bonked him on the head. “No, dummy, you can reach the roof! It’s probably in her closet.”

Luffy gasped and ran into the closet.

Pasha raised a brow, grinning. “I thought you weren’t helping?”

Ace narrowed his eyes at his blonde haired brother, before following the youngest boy into the walk-in. The smallest of the boys was half submerged in shoes, digging through the mess on the floor.

Ace let his hand sift through the hanging clothes as he slowly walked by them, feeling the different materials.

Pasha watched Luffy for a moment, arms crossed. “What part of ‘up high’ didn’t you get, Luff?”

Luffy popped out, turning to look at them, confused.

Pasha mouth formed a line, then pointed up to the upper rack of the closet.

Luffy’s mouth made an ‘o’ then he grinned, stretching his arms up.

Ace murmured loud enough for Pasha to hear. “I thOUghT yOU WEreN’t hELpINg.”

The blonde haired boy turned, frowning slightly. He narrowed his eyes at his brother, sticking his tongue out. Ace did a raspberry in response, turning back to their mom's clothes.

“Hey-hey-HEY!”

Pasha looked up at Luffy, perched precariously on the wire shelving.

“Here’s one!” He pulled a wrapped box out from behind some storage boxes.

Pasha started to say something but Luffy, in pulling out the present, lost his grip and fell back, a few of the other boxes falling with him.

Ace moved out of the way, but Pasha caught two of the plain storage boxes.

“Luffy! What if there’s something fragile in these?”

The boy sat up amongst the boxes that his brother wasn’t able to save, rubbing his head. “Fra-.. jill?”

Ace huffed behind them. “Breakable.”

Pasha nodded looking back at him, before turning and looking up at the shelves. “We better put these back up.”

“Make him do it. He knocked them down.” Ace added.

Luffy grinned, elongating his arms up over his head and wiggling them like noodles. “Also, stretchy arms!”

His brothers chuckled and Pasha started handing off the boxes to Luffy. The smallest boy stretched each of the boxes up to the shelf, shoving them up there in a less than orderly fashion.

Pasha’s mouth formed a line. “It’s sort of obvious we were in here.”

“The paper is ripped.” Luffy picked up the gift. The fall had snagged a corner.

“Let’s take it downstairs, and when mom gets home you can ask her if you can open it.”

“But I want to open it NOW.” Luffy reached for the tear, but Pasha caught his hand, shaking his head.

“No. First off, it’s not your birthday. Second off, you shouldn’t have been looking for it in the first place. Third, she probably will be less mad if we wait until she gets home.”

Luffy frowned, looking down at the present. He let our a long, pathetic sigh. “Ok…”

Pasha nodded, reaching for the gift. “Good. Now let me take-”

“No!” Luffy hugged the present to his chest. “I’ll take it!”

Pasha closed his eyes, sighing, brow furrowing. “Fine, you take it down.”

“Yay!”

“Hey guys…”

They both looked at Ace who was looking at a dress at the back of their mom’s closet.

“Why do you think mom would keep clothes that are too small for her?”

Pasha raised a brow. “Are you calling her fat?”

Ace narrowed his eyes at Pasha. “No! Look. There are a bunch of clothes that are, like, half her size.”

Pasha looked at a few pieces. Nearly half of the clothes in the closet were for a much smaller and shorter frame. He shrugged. “Dunno. Maybe she just likes them.”

Ace put down the piece he was holding. “I don’t think she would keep all this stuff just to look at it. Doesn’t sound like her.”

“Do you think we can visit Mom and see if she’ll let me open this present now?”

The two older brothers turned to Luffy. “No.”

“Whyyyyyy?” The boy whined.

“You can wait.”

“And we don’t want to go all the way there, just because you’re greedy.”

“I can go myseeeellllff!”

“No Luffy.”

They started making their way out of the room, and down the stairs, Luffy hugging his present.

“I’m sure she won’t miiiiiiiiind!”

“Are you so sure?” Ace turned back as they made their way to the kitchen.

Pasha opened the fridge. “Hey, Luff. Pick up your shoes before someone trips over them.”

“UUUUuuuughhhh…” Luffy put the package on the counter and trudged to the hallway but stopped in the doorway. “... They’re already put away.”

Ace slid over. “Yeah ri-... You’re right. Hey Pash.”

Pasha emptied his hands of lunch meats onto the counter. “Yup?”

“Come here.”

Pasha wiped his hand on his navy colored school shorts, joining his brothers. Ace just pointed to the shoe rack. All three pairs of their shoes were lined up neatly together. He then pointed to the coat rack, and their bags were hung on hooks.

Pasha backed up into the kitchen then walked out into the living room. “Mom?”

“She’s never hung our bags up like that.” Ace joined him, eyeing the room carefully. “And the door’s still locked.”

Luffy walked up behind them. “Are we going to eat?”

The older boys jumped, shushing him, Pasha covering his mouth.

Luffy gave them a puzzled look.

Pasha lifted his hand, Ace put a finger up to his face as he slowly stepped into the living room.

Pasha spoke quietly to Luffy. “I don’t think… we’re alone in here.”

Luffy and Pasha followed their older brother, and they all jumped when they heard a sound coming from the front door. Ace went into the hallway, watching as the deadbolt turned. The boys readied their stances as it opened to reveal their mom.

She looked up. “You’re home early.”

Luffy pointed at her. “ _You’re_ home early!”

She furrowed her brow. “Are you three skipping school?”

Pasha shook his head as she closed the door and hung up her coat. “Half day. Teachers had to prep for the end of year exams.”

Ace watched the large woman lock the door. “Were you just here?”

She turned, giving him a puzzled look. “Like… right now?”

“A couple minutes ago.”

She shook her head. “No. I was on my way here.”

The brothers shared a look.

Pasha bent in and motioned for her to come closer. Ailani bent down, raising a brow.

“We think there’s someone in this house, besides us”

Ace nodded, scooching into the huddle. “Someone moved our bags and shoes.”

Ailani looked to the neat shoe rack, staring at it for a moment, then looked up to the blank wall above it. The corner of her mouth twitched.

“I’m really surprised... that you didn’t notice sooner.”

The boys got really serious, watching their mom.

“This whole building.” She turned around, looking down at them. “Is haunted.”

“WHAT?”

She stood up, quickly turning her face away and moving into the kitchen. “There have been people living on this island for a long time. This building is relatively new, only about forty years old, the building before it burned down. Many tragedies have played out in this house and the houses that stood on this spot before it, and the spirits of those fallen still drift between the houses and bars of this street.”

The boys looked wide eyed, following her, before Ace furrowed his brow. “Why would a ghost put away our shoes?”

“There are three," Ailani put up three fingers, “spirits in this house. One is not really dangerous, one is fine as long as you ignore him, but one… one is malicious.”

She continued, pulling the bread from the counter and tomatoes and lettuce from the fridge. “The first, comes in the form of a porcelain doll with a big wide brimmed hat. It’s said that she is the spirit of a little girl that died from pneumonia. You never see the doll move, but turn away and look back it will have moved. Sometimes you can hear a little girl laugh and footsteps running in the attic.”

The boys sat up on the barstools at the island. Ailani put a sandwich in front of Luffy and he dug in.

Ace watched his little brother for a moment, before turning back with a big grin. “The next ghost?”

Ailani smirked, working on the next sandwich. “The next ghost is an old sea captain, with a missing eye, and a wooden leg. He only appears in mirrors and doorways. It’s said that if you look at him too long, he will lift his patch revealing his empty black socket, and then your vision will get blurry in one eye. It’ll get blurrier and blurrier until you can’t see out of that eye at all. And he… he’ll have two eyes. One of them, yours.”

She placed a plate in front of Pasha, who gulped. “And the last one?”

“The last one… is a white striped cat with red eyes. It meows outside of the window in the upstairs hallway, asking for you to let it in. If you go up to the window, and look, it disappears. There’s no access to that window from the roof or the ground. Needless to say, don’t open the window afterwards.”

Luffy finished his last bite of sandwich as Ailani placed a sandwich in front of Ace. “What would happen if you opened the window?”

“You’ll hear a yowl behind you, and if you turn, you’ll see a skeletal woman open up her mouth, letting out hundreds of mosquitoes that drain you of all of the juices in your body until you turn into dust.”

Luffy bared teeth, his eyes widening. “I don’t wanna be JUICE!”

Pasha shivered, finishing his sandwich. “Ugh, mosquitoes.”

“Don’t open that window when you see her, then.”

Luffy frowned, and then leaned over the counter to start making himself another sandwich.

“I don’t like juice cat.”

Ailani put out plates of sliced tomatoes and lettuce, and pushed the lunch meat and bread closer to them.

Ace finished his and leaned over to make another. “None of them sound like they would put our shoes away.”

Ailani shrugged, finishing making a sandwich for herself. “I don’t know, maybe there’s another one. Let me know if you see it.”

They chewed and made their sandwiches in silence.

“Hey’s what’s this?”

Ailani put her second sandwich down and wiped her hands with a napkin, walking up to the present on the counter.

Pasha looked over. “Oh, I forgot about that.”

Ace glanced for a moment before focusing back on his sandwich. “Oh yeah, Luffy tried to find his birthday presents.”

“Luffy!” Ailani turned to the boy in question, furrowing her brow.

The little boy’s eyes widened, as he continued eating his sandwich. “I din’ tink you geh mah if I jus’ ‘ad one!”

Her mouth formed a line as she put her hands on her hips. “I’m not _mad_. But your birthday is literally around the corner. Why can’t you wait?”

He swallowed his mouthful and stood in his seat grinning. “I saw the lion!”

Ace elaborated. “We passed that one clothing shop and they had the lion hoodie at the window.”

Pasha nodded. “And Ace told him that you had gotten it for him.”

“I DID NOT!”

Pasha side-eyed him. “Close enough.”

“You would have told him out right!” He glared and turned to their mom. “Luffy was trying to get us to help him get it, and we tried to stop him. He figured out that he might be getting it for his birthday. THAT’S what _actually_ happened.”

Ailani ate a bite of her sandwich and sighed. “Can’t be helped. That’s not it though.”

She motioned to the package.

Luffy looked at it, frowning. “No?”

She cleaned off her hands again. “If you don’t mind opening a partially ripped present on your birthday, I can trade this one out for you.”

Luffy beamed. “Yes please!”

Ace watched her as she exited the kitchen with the gift. “Why are you letting him get away with it?”

Ailani turned. “He already knows he’s getting it. It’s no fun if there’s no surprise.”

Ace shrugged as their mom disappeared from view.

They heard her made her way up the stairs as Pasha and Luffy made their next sandwich. Then Ace looked to the front door, stopping mid bite, putting his sandwich down.

“Guys.”

“Hnm?”

“GUYS. LOOK.” He pointed to the door. The deadbolt jiggled slightly.

The other two boys froze in place. Ace got off of the bar stool, carefully moving to the door, eyes locked on the deadbolt. Pasha, then Luffy followed behind him. Ace stopped in front of the door, and the three boys watched as the deadbolt turned and clicked into the unlocked position. Wide eyed, they watched the door open, revealing a wrinkled, bent man, with frizzy tangled grey hair, a black eye patch over his left eye and a pant leg tied up to reveal a wooden peg leg. The man opened his mouth.

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

The boys all yelled in unison, Ace slammed the door and locked it in one motion. They turned and scampered up the stairs with amazing speed, almost running into their mom.

“What! What happened!”

Luffy jumped into her arms, tears bubbling from his eyes. “I DON’T WANT TO LOSE MY EYEBALLS!!!”

Ace yelled, fists clenched, eyes wide. “SEA CAPTAIN! DOORWAY!”

Pasha hugged her leg. “THE EYEPATCH GHOST IS AT OUR FRONT DOOR!”

Ailani looked at them for a moment, concern morphing into laughter.

“HahaHAHA! You didn’t HURT him, did you?”

“What?” The boys looked up at her as she chuckled.

Realization slowly dawned on Ace and Pasha, and Ace put his hands down to his sides frowning, and Pasha let go of Ailani’s leg, face starting to flush a deep red.

Luffy hiccuped through tears. “You can... hurt a ghost?”

She ruffled his hair and gave him a kiss on his forehead with a big smile. “Let’s go downstairs.”

She carried Luffy down as he clutched onto her neck. Ace and Pasha followed behind them.

“Mr. Jenkins?”

“Aye Marm?” The dry cracked voice came from the kitchen.

They walked in to see the old man setting up the broom, mop, rags and a beat up old bucket. He looked up, squinting his one beady eye at the boys, scowling at them.

“Mr. Jenkins. These are my boys. Ace, Pasha and Luffy. I don’t think you’ve been properly acquainted.”

The man mumbled something out and all that was really distinguishable was a ‘nay’.

Luffy furrowed his brow examining the man, then turned to Ailani. “You can talk to ghosts?”

Ace glanced up at him, eyes narrowed and frowning. “He’s not a ghost, dummy.”

Pasha sighed, closing his eyes. “Mom tricked us.”

It took a moment for him to process it, but Luffy’s frown deepened. “MOM!”

She snickered, putting him down, looking up the man starting to fill his bucket. “I was hoping you'd think he was a ghost for a little while longer... Mr. Jenkins lives on the first floor. He’s our housekeeper.”

“WHAT?”

The boys turned to the man who glanced at them before turning away.

Ace frowned, raising a brow. “ _That’s_ the housekeeper?”

Ailani furrowed her brow. “Don’t be rude. He usually comes on days I work and you have school. That’s why you’ve never seen him yet.”

Luffy climbed onto the barstool with his half prepared sandwich. “Why’s he so scary looking?”

The wrinkled scab of a man flinched, turning to scowl at the little boy who scooched down lower into his seat, partially hiding behind the counter, but keeping a careful eye on the man.

“Luffy! Rude.”

Ace narrowed his eyes at Ailani. “ _You’re_ the one who told us he was a ghost.”

The man grumbled something incomprehensible and turned back to what he was doing. Luffy sat up and finished making his sandwich, stuffing it into his mouth.

Ailani caught her eldest’s gaze. “That’s fair. Hey, Jenkins.”

The man lifted his head up.

Ailani continued, picking up the last of the sandwich. “I just dropped by for lunch. Are you alright having these kids around? They had a short day at school today.”

The boys frowned, starring as the man eyed them over. He turned to Ailani, mumbling something and nodded as he went back to soaking his mop.

She nodded and ate the last of her sandwich. “Alright. Try to stay out of his way as best you can. I have to head back.”

Ace followed Ailani into the hallway.

“Mom,” he spoke quietly.

“Yeah, love?” She slung her coat over her shoulders.

He glanced into the kitchen, then back to her. “Can we really trust him?”

Ailani sighed, kneeling down on one knee. “Ace, appearances can be deceiving. I had a cleaning lady before Mr. Jenkins. She was a young pretty brunette, bubbly and pleasant to be around, but it ended up that she was stealing things from the house. I wouldn’t have Mr. Jenkins renting the downstairs apartment, let alone letting him into our home if I didn’t think he was the right man for the job. He’s had a rough life, you can tell just from looking at him, but he’s been honest and straightforward with me. Can I trust you to treat him with respect until he’s done?”

Ace nodded, looking away.

She smiled, putting a hand up to his face to move away some of his hair. “If it makes you feel better, when you see him around town now, you can spy on him.”

He looked up at her, raising a brow. “What?”

She glanced into the kitchen then back, speaking low. “I don’t want you to take my word for it. If you feel uncomfortable, start an investigation. It’ll be good for you. See if you can trail him without him noticing. Get some information on him. See if you can decide for yourself if he’s trustworthy. Sound good? Just not while he’s here though. He doesn’t like people watching him all the time. Makes him nervous.”

Ace nodded, smiling. “Ok!”

She ruffled his hair as she stood up. “That’s your mission, kid. Do me proud.”

Ace grinned, waving as she opened the door to leave. “Bye Mom!”

“Bye, baby.”

A shout came from the kitchen from the other two.

“Bye Mom!”

“Bye!”

She winked at Ace and he nodded, joining his brothers in the kitchen with a devilish grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you StrawFairy, Rili, mingxingxing, and Noelle for your latest comments and your wonderful input!  
> Thank you everyone for your Kudos and support!
> 
> Also some wonderful art of our boys from the excellent [min-min-minnie](http://min-min-minnie.tumblr.com) on tumblr!
> 
> Please visit her and give her your support, she is an excellent artist.


	24. Meeting Places

Ailani placed her dufflebag by the door, hanging up a green suit loosely wrapped in plastic on a hook. She adjusted her white Navy coat on her shoulders, walking into the kitchen. She was wearing her ship outfit, navy shorts with gold buttons and a loose sleeved high collar blouse.

“Alright. So you know what to do in case of an emergency, correct?”

The boys nodded as they ate their breakfast sandwiches; toast, cheese, eggs and ham lined up on the bar in front of them.

Pasha swallowed. “Go down and get Mr. Jenkins. If we need you, go to the N.F.O. and ask one of the security guards at the front desk that we have to call you.”

Ailani nodded. “Vedika will be accompanying me on this trip, and she won’t be in the office.”

Ace built himself another egg sandwich. “We’re going to busy with finals, so I doubt anything bad’s gonna happen.”

“Wer er yeh weavin?” Luffy had a whole sandwich in his mouth.

Ace made a face. “She told us like, five times.”

The little boy scrunched up his face in concentration as he chewed.

Pasha finished his sandwich, chuckling. “You can do it Luffy. Why is Mom leaving for a few days?”

Luffy swallowed. “I know she told us, I wasn’t really listening.”

The two older brothers sighed.

Ailani chuckled, leaning up on the counter. “I need to head to Marineford to finalize my report on the quarterly audit and present my findings in a meeting with higher level personnel.”

Luffy nodded. “That’s why. I don’t know _half_ of what THAT was.”

His family chuckled as he started making another egg sandwich, heavy on the ham.

Pasha turned to their mom. “Who’s going to be there?”

Ailani looked to the counter. “Most of the vice admirals, two of the current admirals and the fleet admiral.”

“So… it’s a big deal?”

Ailani shrugged, picking up a piece of ham. “Business as usual. My bit is sort of short, since no one wants to hear the whole thing. Don’t want to tell ‘em neither, get a lot of stupid questions that waste everyone’s time. I’m mostly going to be listening to the objectives for the next year and Vedika and I will start calculating it out.”

“Well.” Pasha looked down at his sandwich. “Hope you have a safe trip, then.”

Ace swallowed a bite of his own. “Don’t be too bored.”

Ailani smiled and reached over to ruffle her eldest’s hair. “I’m never bored.”

 

The Marine Headquarters loomed over Marineford. On her ship, Ailani changed into the green fitted suit, with a matching tie with a golden tie clip. She tucked a satin handkerchief square into her jacket pocket and with Vedika in tow, they made their way out of the docking area, ferrying boxes filled with binders and papers. She had them stop at a flower stall, picking up a sprig of white hydrangea on the way. She pinned it delicately to the lapel of her suit jacket.

They passed by the open doors of the Fleet Admiral’s office, Ailani offering a quick salute.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku nodded, motioning with his hand from his desk. “Meeting room’s open.”

Ailani nodded, putting down her hand, turning to Vedika. “Are you alright to set up?”

“I know, I know, go brown-nose.” The black haired woman waved her off, heading to the meeting room.

Eyes narrowed, a small smile danced onto Ailani's lips as she watched the woman go.

“Rumor is, you’re a mother now.”

Ailani turned to the fleet admiral, who was writing something on this desk.

She stepped past the threshold of his office. “Running on rumors now, are we?”

He glanced up with a frown, then smirked, focusing back to his desk.

“Garp was having a fit a while ago.”

Ailani let her eyes skim over the bookshelf against the wall. “I bet.”

“I have to say, adopting a boy was one of the best decisions I ever made. Nothing made me happier than watching that boy grow up into a man.”

Ailani glanced over, watching the older man work at his desk.

Her eyes moved down to the floor. “Rosinante… was a kind man.”

He stopped writing for a moment. “That he was.”

There was a moment of silence between them, before Ailani spoke.

“I should see who else is early.”

The man nodded. “Sakazuki should be here, he’s always early, and I believe Kuzan arrived last night. Everyone else should be arriving shortly.”

“If they’re late, lock them out.”

The fleet admiral chuckled, glancing up from his paperwork. “And have the meeting without Borsalino?”

A smirk formed on her lips, and she rested a hand on her hip. “Did you at least have the decency to _lie_ and tell him we were starting an hour earlier? Or did you do me a favor and tell him we were starting an hour late?”

The Fleet Admiral frowned slightly. “Is he really that bad?”

She frowned back. “As long as he keeps his mouth shut. You weren’t there for the meeting on Folk Island last year. He arrived thirty minutes late, kept asking questions about things that were already covered and were _also_ on the pamphlet. Added and hour and a half to the whole endeavor. Glad I wasn’t heading _that_ meeting. Just about had Comil pulling his hair out.”

“He can’t afford to lose any more.”

Ailani chuckled. “Ain’t that the truth. I should head downstairs and wake up Kuzan.”

The fleet admiral grimaced, turning back to his work. “Last I heard, he’s napping in the main hall.”

Ailani nodded, mouth forming a line. “Passed him on the way here.”

Sengoku’s brow furrowed. “I hope he’s conserving his energy to NOT fall asleep at the meeting.”

“Again.”

“Again.”

“Sir.” Ailani went to attention, saluting. “Permission to not let sleeping dogs lie.”

“Permission granted.”

 

The tall, dark haired vice admiral was splayed out on the couch in the main reception area, feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him.

Ailani sat on the couch next to him, shifting him over slightly. “Fun night?

The man lifted his sleeping mask, wincing, putting the mask back. “Why do they have to have it so bright in here?”

“It’s called morning. Most people wake up during this time.”

The man grimaced. “Awful.”

“You know, we should have been more considerate of your needs. We’ll make sure to cancel it for you next time.”

“Mornings?”

"Yeah. Shift the sun and everything."

“Do it.”

They chuckled, but then the man winced. “Why do I do this to myself?”

Ailani shrugged. “You’re an addict?”

The man lifted his mask, scowling at her.

She raised a brow, and his frown deepened as he slowly put the mask back over his eyes.

“Don’t call me out like that.”

“You’re running at 50% capability you know.”

The man sighed. “That’s all I need.”

“Well, you are straight man, that will at least get you promoted. When do you think you’ll become Admiral? The next two years?”

“Arara....”

“What?”

He slowly shook his head, failing to subdue a grin. “Reel it back. I can't. It’s too early. Anyways Ailani, you got promoted two ranks practically overnight.”

“After being denied a promotion for half a decade, uncovering an elaborate embezzlement scheme of the previous CFO, along with documenting innumerable cases of him violating Navy code of conduct and law, _AND_ recovering 78% of the assets lost after he and his associate went rogue.”

“...they still haven’t caught him?”

Ailani shook her head, looking to the side. “He was a clever man. Too clever. I’m not worried though. He so much as gets in earshot of any military facility he’s looking at ten life sentences in Impel Down.”

“I’m surprised he got off the island.”

“I’m disappointed but not surprised. He had a lot of contacts, many of them still have their positions to this day.”

“A lot of them don’t.”

Ailani chuckled darkly, letting her eyes rest on the coffee table in front of them. “A great many of them don’t.”

“...I think I might have enough in me to make it to the meeting room.”

Ailani patted him on the shoulder as she stood to leave. “Glad to help. Don’t strain yourself _too_ much, now.”

He rubbed his shoulder, frowning. “...I’ll try.”

 

A good portion of the vice admirals, included Vice Admiral Sakazuki, were already waiting in the hallway outside of the meeting room. Ailani winked as she passed Vice Admiral Tsuru, and the older woman smiled with a nod. She found a space a comfortable enough distance from the different gathering groups, and waited, the conversations around the room at reasonable hum. She grimaced as Garp entered, loudly greeting a couple of the senior vice admirals.

A voice came from beside her. “Vice Admiral Mahi’ai. What a rarity.”

She turned to face a broad shouldered, older man. His grey hair was fashioned in a mildly pompadour style, mustache and goatee neatly groomed.

“Every quarter, Vice Admiral Prodi.”

The man grinned. “Yes, yes, great work, especially for a woman such as yourself.”

Ailani crossed her arms, letting the man continue.

“It’s such a shame seeing you so stressed all the time, I think it's taking a toll on you. With that sour look, you’ll have wrinkles like Tsuri by the time you’re forty.”

He chucked at his own joke. “You aren’t a bad looking woman, you’d be a lot cuter if you smiled more. I'm sure everyone would appreciate _that_.”

Ailani raised her brows, looking the older vice admiral up and down. “Oh? Concerned about how I’m affecting _moral_ , Vice Admiral Prodi? Now, I know it’s not just me, that would be showing favoritism, and you know how the Navy frowns upon cronyism. And I know this isn’t a guy-girl thing, because I _know_ you’re better than resorting to _that_ , Prodi. You have so much more...  _self-respect_.”

She took a shoulder length stance. Kuzan, who had finally made his way into the hallway, stopped to listen in.

The senior vice admiral raised a brow. “Of course not. I was just saying-”

Ailani raised a hand. “That the moral of our ranks has been a little down lately.”

She shook her head continuing. “I know Sakazuki and I have the biggest culprits lately. Have you talked to him about this already?”

Kuzan’s eyes widened, as he stood, seemingly unnoticed behind Ailani. He glanced past them at where the vice admiral in question was standing, leaning against the wall closest to the closed double doors of the meeting room.

Prodi took a step back, smoothing down his mustache. “No I-”

Ailani raised her brows. “I really think you should talk to him. Sakazuki has been looking very _dower_ lately, and smiling could really help him... ‘cute up’.”

There was a loud snort behind Ailani. She glanced to the side instinctually, but didn’t turn around.

“What exactly…  should I do?” The man himself, Vice Admiral Sakazuki was starting to make his way over. Eyes obscured by his cap.

Ailani lifted an arm, in a presentational manner. “Perfect! _Just_ who we needed to talk to. Vice Admiral Prodi had lifted a concern he had about the two of us.”

The older vice admiral was starting to visibly sweat. “No I-”

“Oh?” Sakazuki crossed his arms as he came to a stop in front of them, lifting his head a little. “Do tell.”

“He thinks we are bringing moral down… looking so serious all the time. He thinks we should smile more. Would make us look... how did you say it, _cuter_.”

At this point all nearly all of the personnel gathered in the hallway stopped their conversations and turned to look at the three of them. Kuzan had backed up against the wall, one hand covering the his face. A quiet horse whisper escaped his lips. “ _Arara._ ”

Sakazuki leaned back, raising a brow. “Is that so, Prodi? Well I’m glad the Navy is about making friends and planting daisies so that this is an _actual_ concern we have! I am a vice admiral of the World Government Marines, one of the most powerful people in this room, and you dare? To bother _me_ ? About how my appearance makes you _feel bad_?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you dare disrespect me again, putting how I choose to _present_ myself against my actual worth and skills and _wasting my time_.”

Ailani nodded somberly, motioning towards Sakazuki. “I have to agree with Sakazuki here. This is the most powerful military force in the world. We are all accomplished, strong individuals. Whether or not looking at one of us makes you happy or not isn’t our highest priority.”

Sakazuki nodded, leaning slightly in her direction. “I have to go before I... damage something.”

He gave a poignant glare to the older vice admiral and walked back to his original location.

All of the other vice admirals stared at Prodi, who stood stiffly, teeth bared, before turning and quickly exiting the hallway. Ailani turned to Tsuru across the way, the old woman shaking her head, smirking, and Ailani winked at her again. A hand tapped her shoulder, and she turned, raising a brow.

“Ailani.” Kuzan stood hand still covering half his face, trying desperately to fight back a grin, and failing. “What the fuck.”

Ailani grinned, giving an affirmative nod. "That's equality."

Fleet Admiral Sengoku exited from the meeting room. “Alright let’s get started, I think everyone except Borsalino is here… Where-... where did Prodi disappear off to?”

Ailani called to him from across the hall, louder than needed. “PROBABLY WENT TO GO PISS!”

The hall erupted in loud, convulsive laughter.

The fleet admiral grimaced. “RUDE!”

Garp went over at patted Sengoku’s shoulder as he walked into the meeting room. “Sakazuki just scared him is all.”

Sakazuki smirked as he followed the senior vice admiral, passing by the fleet admiral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you everyone for your support and your kind words.  
> Thank you Saringold, Rili, StrawFairy, Maddy and Noelle for your wonderful comments, it's very nice to see you all enjoying the piece.


	25. I Spy...

 

After watching their mother close the door, leaving for the meeting in Marineford, Ace stood on his chair, clearing his throat. He closed his eyes and put his hands together somberly.

Both of his brothers turned to look at him, still chewing on their breakfast sandwiches. Luffy was wearing one of the hoodies he had received for his birthday over his school uniform. It was a sleeveless blue alpaca hoodie, but wasn’t identifiable at the moment since the hood was down.

Ace opened his eyes, a crooked grin spreading across his face. “You’re probably wondering why I brought you all here today.”

Both of his brothers stared at him. “What?”

Luffy looked behind him, searching for who else he might be talking about and Pasha just flipped his palms up, one with a half eaten sandwich.

Pasha squinted his eyes. “What are you _talking_ about?”

Ace’s eyes became obscured by the reflection on his glasses as he pointed at his blonde haired brother. “Operation Doorway Ghost.”

Pasha made a face turning back to his sandwich. “And _why_ are you bothering that old man?”

“We don’t know him.”

Luffy took a bite of his own sandwich, and looked back at Ace. “We dun know moft people.”

“Yes.” Ace pointed at Luffy. “But we don’t usually let them into our home.”

The newly eight-year-old nodded from side to side, bobbing his head as he took another bite.

Pasha turned back to him, nonplussed. “Mom already said she trusted him.”

He pointed to Pasha again. “Trusted him to ‘do his job’. She told me later that if I wasn’t sure about him I should start an investigation.”

The blonde brother rolled his eyes. “And _why_ aren’t you sure?”

“Dunno him. Dunno anything about him.”

Pasha pointed back, before taking a bite of his sandwich. “Fair.”

Ace grinned, digging in his pockets. “Here’s the plan. I’ve been keeping an eye on the old man.”

Pasha narrowed his eyes. “Spying on him.”

“Spying on him. And he usually does the same thing every day. He leaves the apartment before we leave for school and-”

Ace stopped, putting a hand up, then jumping off his chair and running to the door. His brothers stopped eating and watched as he slowly opened the door and peeked his head out. They listened as the outside door closed and then Ace came back in, pointing his thumb out the door.

“See? That was him.”

Luffy kneeled on the bar stool, straightening as his eyes widened. “Where does he go?”

Ace, closed the door and climbed back to his seat, grinning at them. “That’s the question. And that’s what we’re going to find out.”

Pasha took the last bite of his sandwich and swallowed. “I hate being the voice of reason all the time, but we have school.”

Ace nodded. “That’s why we’re going to do that tomorrow before school, so we have enough time to get ready early. Today, we’re going to-...”

He took a key out of his pocket and presented it to his brothers triumphantly. “Check out that apartment.”

Pasha examined the key held aloft in his brother’s fingers. He raised a brow, looking back at his older brother. “Mom gave you a key to his apartment?”

Ace smirked, quirking up his eyebrows. “No.”

Luffy furrowed his brow. “Did you steal it?”

Ace’s smirk grew to a grin. “ _No_.”

Pasha sighed, dusting off his hands. “Alright. Let's have it. _How_ did you get the _key..._?”

The older boy puffed up his chest a little, wiggling his eyebrows. “Well. Remember when we went to Charlie’s house, and he forgot his key?”

“Yeah, there was one under the welcome mat.”

“Well, I figured this guy probably had the same thing.”

“But there’s no mat.”

Ace pointed at Pasha, raising one brow up above the other, still grinning. “But there’s no _mat_. But he’s old so of course he forgets things all the time, and there’s NO way he would keep going to mom in order to have her let him into his apartment. There had to be a spare somewhere, unless he’s stupider than we thought.”

“Than _you_ thought.”

“Right. So I took a look around his door, the staircase, checked each of the steps to see if one was loose. Nothing.”

Pasha started grinning. “Ok...”

“I even checked the lights, but then I remembered. This guy is missing a leg, he won’t be climbing around if he doesn’t have to. That’s when I saw the potted plant.”

Ace slapped his own forehead. “Of course! The plant in the hallway! It’s low and easy to move! I was overthinking it and I look under it, and bam! The key.”

Pasha took it, examining it. It looked almost identical to theirs. “Do you think he’s noticed?”

Ace shrugged. “We’ll find out if we go in there and it’s booby trapped.”

“BOOBIES?” Luffy exclaimed, grimacing.

Pasha and Ace burst out laughing.

Luffy crossed his arms. “Why would he have boobies there? Any why does he trap them? Is that something old people do?”

Ace and Pasha continued laughing for a little while but finally settled down.

Ace wiped a tear from his eye. “No actual boobies. Just traps... for people”

Pasha grinned, still holding his sides. “Haha, it’s just called that. I don’t know why.”

The eight-year-old frowned at his plate. “Just as long as there aren’t any boobies just FLOATING around. Ready to trap people. We’d have to call the guards at the base.”

Ace wheezed. “Yeah bud… we definitely would.”

Pasha just continued laughing.

 

 

As the meeting in Marineford concluded, Admiral Borsalino walked in as everyone else was walking out.

“Ohhh…” The man looked around at the personnel milling around him. “The meeting wasn’t at ten?”

Fleet Admiral Sengoku glared to the side at Ailani who was gathering up the leftover paper and materials with her assistant.

The large woman glanced up when the admiral arrived, pulling back her sleeve to examine her watch. She raised a brow. “It’s eleven thirty.”

The fleet admiral turned to the truant admiral. “The meeting started at nine o’clock sharp. Who told you the meeting started later?”

“Ohhh, a _buuunch_ of people.”

Kuzan, who was slowly making his way out of his seat with a yawn, met Ailani’s gaze. He did a small nod towards her and she responded with a barely noticeable shake of her head. She motioned towards him. He shook his head back.

“I thought that when Sakazuki-san said it, that it _muuust_ have been right, _riiiight_?”

Ailani and Kuzan both raised their brows, clamping their mouths down, smothering their reactions as they turned away. Ailani passed her pile to Vedika who shook her head disapprovingly. Most of the remaining vice admirals had made their way out of the meeting room even faster as Sengoku glared at his retreating personnel. Sakazuki was nowhere to be seen, being one of the first ones out the door.

The fleet admiral sighed, closing his eyes as he stood up. “Follow me. I’ll give you an update in my office.”

Kuzan walked over as Ailani and Vedika finished packing away what was left, watching the fleet admiral and admiral vanished from view.

He raised a brow, turning to Ailani. “Arara... that wasn’t entirely out of character for Sakazuki.”

Ailani huffed, handing her pile to Vedika. “That man doesn’t have any patience for people who waste his time.”

The lean dark haired man glanced away. “The only reason he doesn’t hate him is because Borsalino just follows whatever orders without question. Sakazuki likes that in a person.”

“What are your plans?”

“Hmn?”

“For lunch.”

Kuzan nodded. “Lunch sounds...”

“Havana’s?”

“...good.”

Vedika raised a hand. “I won’t be joining you. Have to visit my family.”

Ailani glanced at her. “They’re in town?”

“Visiting my grandparents. They know I’m here so I have to go.”

“How did they find out?”

“My _brother_ told them.”

“He’s such an asshole.” Ailani chuckled.

“He’s doing it for the drama. The only reason he does _anything_.”

“What are you gunna do.” Ailani shrugged.

The dark haired woman shrugged. “What’s there _to_ do. I’ll take these to the ship. And head out.”

Ailani nodded, winking. “Affirmative. See you back at the ship. Don’t miss us too much, now.”

“You know I will. Better than being asked if I’ve found a nice man to marry fifty times in a row by the same three people.”

“True. Tread softly.”

“ _Indeed_.”

With a quick wave the two vice admirals made their way out of the meeting room.

 

“Mahi’ai!”

The two vice admirals turned as they were about to exit the building. The fleet admiral stood on the second level and motioned for her to come up.

Ailani let out a long sigh, turning to Kuzan. “You want to head out ahead of me?”

He shook his head. “No, I’ll loiter.”

“Nap.”

“Perhaps.”

They smirked at each other, and Ailani turned and made her way up.

Entering the fleet admiral’s office, she closed the door behind her. Borsalino lounged on a chair, sunglasses covering his eyes. The fleet admiral sat at his desk, hands steepled in front of him.

Ailani saluted. “Sir. You wanted to see me?”

The older man motioned down with his hand. “At ease. We were stopped by Prodi on the way to the office, and he had… a few complaints about you.”

“Oh?” The corner of Ailani’s mouth quirked up as she raised a brow, crossing her arms.

“He said that you caused a… situation between him and Sakazuki.”

“Absolutely not. He brought to my attention his concern how we, in the upper level of the ranks might be negatively affecting moral. Sakazuki overheard and gave his opinion. That is all.”

“Are you saying that Sakazuki instigated the incident?”

Ailani shook her head. “Absolutely not. Sakazuki is well within his right to voice his opinion on the subject.”

The fleet admiral closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “Hmm… Prodi told me a different story. Said he told you lighten up a little and you roped Sakazuki into it.”

“If a complaint is raised against one vice admiral, it is applicable to all.”

Borsalino lifted a hand up lazily. “Sakazuki... can stand to lighten up a little, ne?”

“Without lighting anything on fire,” Ailani added solemnly.

The tall admiral lounging in the chair chuckled.

Sengoku opened his eyes. “Disrespectful. That wasn’t the only reason I brought you up here. Borsalino has gathered information that the current queen of Fishman Island is lobbying to move the general Fishman population to the surface. This would present an excellent opportunity for the Navy obtain their current island from the Whitebeard Pirates.”

“By ‘obtain’ you mean take.”

The fleet admiral furrowed his brow. “You’re against it?”

Ailani shook her head, glancing to the floor, but looking past it. “The chaos of the transition from the seafloor to the surface would create an excellent opportunity to take the island from Whitebeard. Fishman Island has been a gateway for many unsavory individuals to make their way to the New World and back for far too long. Plugging up that leak by putting a Marine base there would be incredibly advantageous.”

Sengoku nodded. “I wanted to offer them assistance by recommending a financial adviser.”

“Me.”

The man nodded. “In two weeks time.”

“Oh? During my scheduled vacation? The one you signed off on half a year ago.”

The man bared his teeth in surprise. “Oh, I-... I forgot. This is... a time sensitive issue, though, and-”

Ailani raised her hand, shaking her head. “I’ll do it. No question. I wouldn’t trust this to anyone else. But I wanted  _you_ to know that you were asking me to shorten my vacation.”

“ _Che schifo_ ,” added Borsalino, making a face. “I wouldn’t have done it.”

Both the fleet admiral and the vice admiral turned to him in unison. “We know.”

Sengoku shook his head sighing. “I apologize, we’ll figure something out later. Do you have enough time to prepare a presentation?”

She looked to the side. “I’m going to need some census data, if they have it. But they might not be forthcoming until they agree.”

“Until they meet with you.”

Ailani nodded. “Correct. I’ll outline the information I’ll need from them and also research to see if anything like this has been done before. Not from an underwater kingdom of course, but perhaps kingdoms switching islands and the obstacles they faced.”

“Excellent.” The fleet admiral closed his eyes. “I know the project is in good hands.”

“I wanted to ask, sir…”

The older man opened his eyes again. “Yes?”

“I heard we have Shichibukai there now. Are you able to confirm?”

“Yes. The new captain of the Sun Pirates, Jimbei.”

Ailani nodded, a small smile curving the edge of her lips. “This will… work in our favor.”

Sengoku smirked. “That’s what I was hoping for.”

“Alright. Send me the dates when it’s finalized and I will make it happen.” She saluted. “Sir.”

He nodded. “Done. You’re dismissed.”

She bowed to Borsalino. “Admiral.”

He lifted his hand. “Ciaoooo...”

 

Ailani opened the door to see Kuzan leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway. She closed the door carefully and made her way towards him.

The tall, dark haired man didn’t even lift the sleeping mask from his eyes. “That wasn’t long.”

She chuckled, glancing away. “So sorry you weren’t able to rest. You _poor_   thing.”

The man snorted, lifting the mask from his eyes. “I'm already over it.”

Ailani checked the watch on her wrist. “Well. It’s after twelve, if you drink now you won’t be considered an alcoholic, right?”

The man grimaced, pocketing his sleeping mask. “Stop it.”

“Don’t worry, most of our personnel is borderline anyways.”

He glanced at her as they made their way back down the stairs. “Yeah?”

She raised a brow, staring up at him. “You haven’t seen the ship inventory reports like I have. Adding verbal accounts… it’s a lot.”

“Makes me… feel better?”

“Will it make you change?”

“Unlikely.”

They both chuckled as they successfully exited the building.

“Havana’s… and then I have some old friends to visit. Care to tag along? Or does the _insanely_ busy schedule of ‘The Great Aokiji’ prohibit it?”

Kuzan grinned, glancing away. “I don't know... Soooo busyyy...”

"I can't leave you drinking alone by yourself, you know."

"Arara, that hurts."

"Are you telling me you have _actual_ plans?"

"A few of the other vice admirals invited me for drinks later."

"Lame. Come hang out with musicians. Don't be like Garp, have some actual friends."

"Ouch! What did he ever do to you?"

"Mistreat his grandson and charge."

They were mostly to Havana's and Kuzan stopped walking. "What?"

Ailani turned around. "Yeah. One of my kids is Garp's grandson."

"No shit."

"Yeah, Luffy. Cutest kid. His current obsession is animals. He wears a different animal hoodie everyday."

The tall dark haired man huffed, looking to the side, a smile barely lifting the corner of his mouth. "That's cute... But... you said..."

"Yeah."

"Was it... bad?"

"Not the worst I've seen, no. Not good either."

They stood for a moment, not really looking at each other, before Kuzan started walking, passing Ailani, and she followed suit.

"I think I'd... like to meet your friends."

“Great! We’ll have someone to cool our drinks!”

“Arara... Am I just a glorified water boy, what is this?”

“ _Kuzan…_ you are so much more. No other water boy can cool drinks just by being in the proximity, it is a SKILL and a _gift_!”

They both laughed at that. Ailani slapped his shoulder. “They'll like you, I'm sure of it.”

“...Ow.” He winced, rubbing his shoulder.

“HA! Sorry.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments: Nike, again, thank you, for the double/triple Kudos, Rili, smallweirdo, StrawFairy, Noelle, you guys are GREAT! I appreciate your support 120%. Kyotokiki and Princess_Meria, thank you for joining us on this ride, and for those wonderful comments. Thanks!  
> Thank you for everyone for your kudos and support.  
> I'm running a little behind due to my job trying to change my schedule and looking for a new job because of it, but I am still working on this piece, it just might be at a little slower pace than before. Y'know... because of the drama of it all.  
> Thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoy!


	26. ...With My Little Eye

The boys stood, fully dressed for school in front of the bottom apartment, school bags on their shoulders. The door looked exactly like theres, except it had a tarnished metal letter “A” next to it on the wall, instead of a “B”.

Ace took a large deep breath, key in hand. “Alright. Let’s go.”

He inserted the key and turned it slowly, until the deadbolt clicked. He gently tapped the nob with the tips on his fingers, then put his hand on it, turning it slowly, and opening it just a crack. He glanced in, before pushing it open and stepping back.

The boys watched as the door creaked open.

Luffy made a face. “That was the weirdest way to open a door, EVER.”

Ace turned to him after grabbing the key from the lock, the lenses from his glasses obscuring his eyes. “Boobies.”

Pasha sputtered out a laugh, and Luffy bared his teeth, eyes widening.

“BOOBIES ATTACK PEOPLE OPENING DOORS?”

Ace grinned, shoulders bobbing in silent laughter. “ _Sometimes_.”

“SOMETIMES?”

Ace burst out laughing and Pasha continued laughing with renewed vigor, tears in his eyes.

Luffy frowned, brow furrowed as he stared through the open door between his laughing brothers.

“You guys go in first.”

“Haha, that was the plan, hold on.” Ace straightened, and took a deep breath, trying to stop laughing, and failing twice.

Pasha picked himself up from where he was supporting himself on the wall, grinning widely. “You can do it.”

Ace nodded, smirking. He stepped up to the doorframe and peeked his head in, looking up and to the sides, before stepping in. He stood perfectly still before nodding to himself, and then walking completely in.

The brothers heard him call from inside. “No boobies.”

Pasha barked out a laugh as Luffy, who was holding his breath, let it out.

Pasha snickered as he followed Ace in. “You need to stop calling them that.”

“Naw. They’re called that from now on.”

Luffy peeked in, unsure, staying by the door.

Faded floral wallpaper covered the walls, and closed curtains glowed from the sunlight outside. There was a breakfast nook to the left, covered in papers, unopened mail, empty boxes and tools. In front of the door on the far wall was plaid couch that probably felt as itchy as it looked.

Ace looked up an over through the open partition from the kitchen to the living room. “Good idea Luffy! You keep a lookout.”

“For what? The boobies?”

“No boobies. Old Mr. Jenkins.”

Pasha walked over to the bookcase across from the couch. “Hey look! A radio! A big old one.”

He starting to fiddle with the knobs, and suddenly there was a loud burst of static that made all of them cover their ears. The middle child reached out a hand and lowered the volume.

Ace exhaled, putting a hand over his heart. “That scared the shit outta me, Pash.”

The blonde haired boy chuckled apologetically. “Sorry about that.”

Luffy leaned over. “You pooped your pants?”

The eldest brother scowled at the other dark-haired boy. “No, I’m not _you_.”

“Hey! I don’t do that anymore!”

Pasha continued fiddling with the different knobs, until they started to hear some music coming in, and he grinned. “There we go. Got the local station on here.”

Ace walked over, putting a hand on the large wood panelled radio. “So it still works?”

Pasha nodded examining it. “The sound quality isn’t the best, probably because the speakers are original to it. And it’s old. Real old.”

Luffy hopped over. “As old as Mom?”

Pasha shook his head. “Older.”

“Old as the housekeeper?”

Pasha looked over to Luffy, shrugging. “Maybe older.”

Luffy’s eyes widened as he looked over at the radio that stood taller than him. “Wow. That’s SUPER old.”

Pasha glanced over to where Ace had been but he had disappeared. “Ace?”

Luffy bent down and picked up a small ball that was on the floor against the bookcase.

A voice came from the next room with an open door. “This is a guest bedroom. Mostly storage.”

Pasha’s eyes narrowed. “I think that’s a trend. Anything interesting?”

Ace emerged, shaking his head. “Lots of junk. Nothing personal though. Not anywhere.”

The eldest boy took in the view of the kitchen, the living room with his brothers and the crowded breakfast cubby, and frowned. “Checked his bedroom already. There’s nothing personal. No pictures. No letters. Nothing.”

Pasha raised a brow. “That’s weird. Do you think he just hasn’t put them out yet? How long has he lived here?”

Luffy fiddled with the ball in his hands. “Why is that weird?”

Ace stared at the ball Luffy was playing with. “When people live in places they make it their own by putting pictures or knick knacks, but… even the pictures on the walls… I think they were the old landlady’s.”

Luffy looked up at a pastoral lithograph on the wall. “You think so?”

Pasha looked from the picture to his older brother. “Maybe he picked those. How do you know they’re not his? Just because you wouldn’t pick them doesn’t mean he didn’t.”

“Take a look.” Ace went over and picked up the corner of the lithograph.

His two brothers leaned in, and then Pasha stepped back, his brow furrowing, sweat forming on his brow. “Are all of them are like that?”

Ace nodded, closing his eyes. “Even the ship’s wheel in the hallway. And I was sure that one might be his.”

Luffy stared at wallpaper behind the picture intently, squinting. “What am I trying to find? Is it a secret code?”

Ace shook his head and Pasha leaned in pointing to the clear line separating where the picture had been. “See how the wallpaper isn’t as faded here, but is super faded here? That means this picture has been here since… well, since the wallpaper’s been here.”

Luffy frowned, looking from the picture to his brothers. “Couldn’t another picture’ve been there?”

Ace shook his head, putting the picture back. “The same exact size, every single one of them? Possible, but not nearly as likely. Also, look at how dark this apartment is. And I’m guessing it’s like this all the time, because when I’ve tried to investigate through the windows-”

“Snoop.”

Ace nodded at Pasha. “Snoop. The curtains were all closed tight, and nothing was really visible from the outside. This stuff fades because of the sun. And it faded when someone kept the windows open all the time. So, that’s why I’m thinking these used to be the old landlady’s.”

Pasha started to slowly pace the floor. “So why doesn’t he have his own things?”

Ace pointed to the couch as he walked towards the breakfast nook. “That’s his. Or at least I think he picked it up somewhere, maybe after getting the place. Same with the other furniture. All this stuff is pretty beat up and pieced together, I don’t think that someone that used to own a whole building, maybe more than one for we all we know, would have such beat up furniture... Hey Luff?”

Luffy had walked up to the couch to pick at one of the half sewn patches, but he turned back to face his older brother. “Hmn?”

Ace reached out his hand. “Let me see that ball.”

Luffy looked down at ball he had found and then nodded, tossing it over.

“Wow, heavier than I thought.” Ace’s hand dipped as he caught it.

He twirled it in his fingers. It had a thick orange stripe down the middle and the number thirteen. “A pool table ball.”

He looked around. “But no pool table.”

Pasha glanced towards the curtain covered windows closest to the street. “There are a lot of bars around here. He could have picked it from one of them.”

“Hmn. Maybe he hustles for cash? Luff. Put it back where you found it.”

“Aww… I liked it.” The smallest brother took it out of his brother’s hand and stretched his arm out, putting the ball onto a bookcase shelf.

Ace picked up a paper from the crowded table. “The stuff over here is just some old advertisements and receipts.”

Pasha lifted a hand out, palm up. “So where does that leave us?”

Ace sighed, putting the paper down hand glancing over the rest on the table. “Not with much. We’ll have to see what we can find out tomorrow when we follow him.”

Pasha frowned, crossing his arms. “So this was a bust.”

Ace smirked, turning around and pointing at him. “Not exactly. This leaves us with more questions than answers, but it also gives us more information since we don’t HAVE the information we SHOULD have.”

Luffy mouth deepened into a wide grimace. “Was that supposed to sound like it made sense?”

Pasha narrowed his eyes, pointing back. “Are you saying that because he doesn’t have any pictures of friends or family, or any decorations of his own, we know what kind of person he probably _isn’t_?”

Ace grinned, snapping his fingers. “Bingo!”

Luffy went cross eyed, holding his head. “How can we know what someone isn’t if they aren’t! My head hurts!”

Pasha chuckled, turning off the radio. “Well, we should probably get out of here and get to school before we’re late. Are you going to hide the key back under the plant?”

“Hmn.” Ace thought for a moment as they exited the apartment. He locked the deadbolt and looked at the key. He shook his head.

“He might hide it somewhere else, or just keep it on him if he knows someone found it. Best that we keep it. We can give it back after the investigation is over.”

Pasha looked at him, eyes half lidded. “You mean the snooping, spying and overall invasion of privacy?”

Ace grinned cheekily as he opened the outside door of the building. “Yeah!”

 

“UUUuuuuugh thiiis iiiiis soooooOOooOOoooOOoo bOOOOOOrrrriIIIIIIiiinnnnggg!!!”

“Shhh Luffy, he’ll hear you.”

Luffy slumped against the privacy wall his brothers were currently peaking over.

It was Saturday, and the boys weren't in their school uniforms. They had attempted to follow the old man the morning before but it had taken too long, and they decided to try again the following day. Ace wearing a pair of Pasha's plain black shorts, and a black tee with a neon lucky cat sticking its tongue out. Pasha was wearing a short sleeved white safari shirt, khaki shorts and brown boots. Luffy had on a leopard hoodie and blue cargo shorts since his brothers didn't let him bring his bookbag. He pulled some popcorn out of one of the many pockets, flicked some lint off of them, and shoved the whole handful into his mouth.

The small boy swallowed and looked up at them, frowning. “He’s been doing the same thing for hoooouuuuursssssss. Let’s do something fun. Like play tag!”

He perked up a little, standing up. “Ace, Pasha, let’s play tag!”

Ace didn’t even look down, staring through the spyglass that Pasha had fixed. “Not now.”

“AWWW!!!”

Pasha glanced down sympathetically. “We’ll play tag later, I promise!”

“Yay!” Luffy lifted his hands up into fists. “I’m getting SO good at it!”

“Not the best at it.” Ace grumbled from his perch.

“I’m getting there!”

Pasha chuckled and looked back at what Ace was concentrating on. “Any update?”

“No. He’s still in the bar.”

“That’s the fifth place. Guess our place isn’t the only one he cleans.”

Ace nodded. “Our place is right across from a row of bars and restaurants. Only one of them opens up for breakfast.”

“So he cleans them in the morning.”

“Yeah. Oh, there he goes.”

Luffy, who has started poking at some flowering weeds, turned around and elongated his arms to the wall and pulled himself up. “He’s leaving?”

Ace nodded. The peg legged man hobbled his bucket filled with rags, his broom and mop out of the Cryptid Corner, and a yawning half dressed bearded man handed him something, and closed the door. The old man pocketed it, and then glanced around the street.

“Get down!” Ace pushed Luffy’s head down as the two older brothers ducked out of sight. They waited a beat and Ace raised his head up carefully over the wall.

“Do you think he saw us?” Luffy’s face was still smushed down by Ace, the smallest boy’s fingers clinging to the top of the wall.

Ace shook his head. “Looks like he might be heading back to the apartment. Probably to drop his cleaning stuff off and eat lunch.”

“So can we plaaaaay noooOOoOoow?” Luffy whined.

“Hmn.” Ace turned his head, glancing down at his brother.

He smirked and then lifted his hand slightly off of Luffy’s face, before promptly smacking it back down. “You’re it.”

He vaulted over the wall. Pasha laughed and jumped after him.

Luffy frowned rubbing his face with one hand, before his eyes widened and his mouth formed into an “o”.

“Waaaaait!!!” He slingshotted himself over the wall almost landing on a woman passing by. “You have a head start, no FAIR!”

Hardly missing a beat after landing, the boy ran after the vanishing figures of his older brothers.

 

Deep amber eyes followed the boys down the street, and then glanced back at the old man entering the apartment building.

“How… curious.”

A large grin spread across their lips as they turned and followed the boys.

“Time for a change of plans...”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your continued support.  
> Thank you Rili, StrawFairy, Maddy and Noelle for your comments, it's always appreciated!


	27. A Real Spy

Luffy slid past, nearly avoiding a man carrying a crate of flowers outside a flower shop as he turned a corner.

“Sorry, shi-shi-shi!”

He quickened his pace towards his two brothers in the distance.

He watched the boys split off into two seperate alleys on opposite sides of the main road. “AH!”

The eight year old boy swung his arms back, people behind him dodging and stepping out of the way of his elongating arms. “GUMMO-GUMMO-NO-...”

His arms belted forward and latched to the top corner of the blue brick building that Ace had disappeared behind. “SLING!”

His little body shot forward and up, almost slamming into the roof of the next building. He started running even before his feet landed on the shingles as he curved around and down, making contact with the building. He let go of his hold on the building below him and slid a little, almost falling off the roof. He was able to wriggle himself back on, regaining his balance and continuing forward, spotting his older brother in the alley down below.

His face stretched into a wide grin and he shot his arms down. “Got you!”

His older dark haired brother brother turned his head with a smirk and easily dodged to the side of the two grabby hands, running forward a little faster, surpassing their stretching speed. Luffy frowned and let his hands touch the ground and pushed himself forward, vaulting towards his brother. He snapped his arms back as he fell towards the older boy. He was able to see Ace grin before the boy jumped to the side and onto the street intersecting the alley. Luffy flew past, barely able to get his footing, face almost touching the pavement. He heard a bell and some yelling and looked to his right in time to see the trolley barreling down on him.

“AH!” He rolled out of the way, landing on his back.

“Luffy!” He heard Pasha as he stared up at a cloud going across the sky.

“Pash, don’t get too-...” Ace’s voice echoed a little bit of a distance away over the murmur of people as the blonde brother bent over Luffy.

“Hey are you-”

“You’re it.” Luffy patted Pasha’s cheeks grinning.

The middle brother grimaced as Luffy slid away giggling.

“No one’s going to help you if you DO THAT!”

“Haha!” Ace grinned, cupping his mouth as he called from across the street. “I tried to warn you!”

Pasha narrowed his eyes, smirking. “Is that right?”

And went on after them.

Luffy giggled unreservedly as he ran and wasn’t paying enough attention as a body stepped in front of him. The impact sent the Luffy and the other, larger person skidding onto the ground.

Ace turned back, skidding to a stop. “Ah, shit.”

Pasha slowed to a trot, behind the them. “Luffy, you have to be more careful!”

The smallest boy sat up rubbing his head. “I am careful!”

Ace came up, crossing his arms. “Not careful enough.”

Pasha looked over to the figure on the ground. “Are you alright?”

Luffy looked up at him. “I’m fine-”

Ace bonked him on the head. “Not you dummy! Her!”

Pasha walked up to the prone woman. Her brown hair was in a disheveled bun and she wearing a white blouse and long olive skirt. He knelt down, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Miss, are you… ok?”

“M-my…my glasses.” She put a hand up to her face.

Ace glanced around, a glimmer of light catching his eye. He walked over and picked up the metal framed round lensed glasses.

“They’re not cracked.” He took them over to the woman who slowly, with Pasha’s help, sat up.

“Th-thank goodness.” She took them and quickly put them on, glancing at all three boys. “W-what happened?”

Ace huffed, pulling Luffy over to them and pushing his youngest brother’s head down into a bow, while also bowing his head. “My little brother ran into you. I’m sorry for the trouble he’s caused you.”

Pasha walked over to his other brothers and bowed as well. “We were playing and weren’t paying attention, I’m sorry. Are you alright?”

“Y-yes.” The young woman stood up, dusting herself off. “Don’t apologize on my behalf, I wasn’t paying enough attention either. What polite boys you are...”

Pasha blushed a little as the woman smiled and Ace straightened himself, looking away, running a hand through his jet black hair.

Luffy stood up straight, staring at her intently, “Do you even live here? I haven’t seen yah.”

Both of his brothers snapped back to look at him. “RUDE!”

“WHAT! I HAVEN’T SEEN HER! WHY IS THAT RUDE?”

The woman chuckled putting up a hand. “Oh, haha, you must know this city very well! I came in about a week ago. I’m studying at the library.”

Pasha focused back on the young woman. “Oh? What are you studying?”

She adjusted her glasses. “This library holds some antique volumes that cannot be found anywhere else. It is a rare opportunity to be able to read them! Unfortunately... “

She sighed, looking away.

The boys tilted their heads. “What?”

She looked back at them laughing nervously, scratching the side of her face. “I was hoping to get a job at the library but they don’t have any positions open, and I’ve been trying to find a job ever since. If I can’t then I’ll run out of money for room and board.”

Ace lifted a hand. “We can’t hire you. We don’t have enough money.”

“Oh, that’s fine… I-... I didn’t expect you to.” The woman’s shoulders sagged.

Pasha frowned, watching her. “Well… we can’t hire you, but we can at least treat you to lunch. As an apology for running into you!”

“Oh, what sweet boys, I can’t possibly-”

Ace glanced back. “You said you were running out of money, didn’t you? Take a free meal when it’s offered to you.”

Luffy raised up his arms, grinning. “We’re getting Teriyaki Beef bowls!”

Pasha frowned at him. “And _when_ did we decide that?”

“I did! Just now.”

The woman smiled softly, head tilting to the side. “That sounds... wonderful.”

Luffy hopped ahead. “Then follow meee!”

Ace frowned and Pasha chuckled, shaking his head.

“I guess it’s decided then.”

“Yipppeee! Oh! Old lady!”

“She’s not that old!”

Luffy continued, not even noticing his brothers’ interjection. “What’s your name, anyways?”

The woman lifted a hand over mouth, chuckling. “How rude of me not to introduce myself. I’m Renoir.” She curtseyed. “Pleased to meet your acquaintance.”

Ace pointed a thumb at himself and then motioning to his brothers. “I’m Ace, these are my younger brothers, Pasha and Luffy.”

“TERIYAKI! BEEF!”

Ace waved a hand in front of his face. “Yeah, yeah, we’re coming. We’re pleased to meet you too.”

The two older brothers bowed as Luffy chanted ‘beef beef beef’ a few feet ahead of them.

“Oh.” The woman stood up straight, smile not leaving her face. “Believe me when I say... the pleasure is all mine.”

“Great.” Ace nodded, turning towards the retreating Luffy, hands in his pockets. “Let’s get some beef.”

Pasha nodded, blushing slightly. “Just follow us, I mean, just follow Luffy. We know the best places to eat around here.”

 

Pasha looked up at Renoir who was neatly picking at her beef bowl, a sharp contrast to his two brothers wolfing theirs beside him. Her eyes were obscured by her glasses, but even with that and her conservative clothing it was clear that she was very pretty. Older than them, but young and with a shapely hourglass figure. She tilted her head up and smiled at him. The eleven year old blonde haired boy flushed a little and quickly looked back into his own bowl.

“How… how do you like the food?”

Both of his brothers looked up at him, mouths full. “It’s great.”

“I’m not asking you!”

The woman chuckled, hovering a hand over her mouth. “It’s delicious. You were right, you really do know the best places to eat.”

The boys all grinned at that.

Luffy swallowed. “Hey, Rey-noh.”

Pasha frowned at him. “Renoir.”

“Yeah! Hey, why does your hair do that?”

Ace glanced at him. “Do what?”

“Well, like mom’s. But her light part is bigger than Rey-nor’s. Rey-nor’s light part is only on the back of her neck. I’ve only seen mom’s hair do a split like that.”

“Oh.” The woman put her hand quickly to the back of her neck, blushing slightly. “How embarrassing.”

Luffy tilted his head. “Why? It’s a pretty color.”

The woman took down the bun and secured her hair into a low ponytail. “I’d prefer if you forgot you saw it.”

“But why-”

“Luffy.” Pasha put a hand in front of his younger brother. “It’s something she’s uncomfortable with, leave it alone.”

The smaller boy pouted and shoved more strips of beef into his mouth. “Waz jus ashkin.”

Ace watched her closely, finishing up his rice bowl. “We should head out. We’ve got to… head home. Have to study for finals.”

“UUughhh, can’t we play some more? And weren’t we-”

Ace turned to Luffy, eyes obscured by his glasses. “We’ve played enough. Everyone pitch in.”

The boys reached into their pockets, Pasha insisting on covering most of Renoir’s tab.

She curtseyed to them again as they exited the restaurant. “I will be at the library tonight and tomorrow until they close, if you’d like to drop by. I don’t know anyone on this island, and you’ve all been so kind to me already. I’d like to see you again.”

Pasha waved his hands in front of him, cheeks pinking up again. “No-no, we ran into you, I’m glad you’re not angry with us!”

The young woman smiled, tilting her head. “How could I be angry at such polite, well behaved boys? Au revoir, little darlings.”

The boys waved as they and Renoir went on the opposite directions.

“She was nice.” Pasha smiled, taking in one last look before the woman was obscured by the crowd.

“Hmn.” Ace furrowed his brow, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked.

Pasha trotted up to him, looking at his brother’s face, narrowing his eyes. “What, are you suspicious of her now too?”

“I don’t know.”

“You can’t be suspicious of _everyone,_ you know.”

“I-... I know, and I shouldn’t be, and it’s probably nothing but…”

Luffy came up to his other side, the leopard hoodie’s tail swishing back and forth with every step. “What?”

Ace stopped, staring at the pavement. “Something feels off. And it shouldn’t, I know it shouldn’t but it does.”

“You need to stop making every adult the bad guy.” Pasha crossed his arms leaning away from him.

Ace ruffled his own hair in frustration. “It’s not like that, it-... Mom told me something a couple of weeks back. That old man Jenkins isn’t her first housekeeper.”

“What, like the old lady who owned the place before mom?”

“No.” Ace shook his head. “It was a young lookin’ lady, a brunette that acted very nice, but ended up being bad.”

“You think that Renoir is that lady? Brown isn’t even her natural hair color!” Pasha raised his hands up in frustration.

Luffy looked back and forth between his brothers. “What?”

Ace looked away. “I know, I know, but… that’s weird, right?”

The middle brother narrowed his eyes. “Lots of people dye their hair. That’s not weird.”

“But brown? Brown hair’s pretty average. Most people try to go from brown hair to a lighter color, not the other way around. Like the old bartender across the street. She makes her hair fire hydrant red when it’s actually like a dirt brown. You can tell when her hair grows out a little.”

“Maybe Renoir’s not like other people.” Pasha shrugged.

“Making yourself look average to not be average? That doesn’t makes sense unless she doesn’t want people to see what she really looks like.”

“Oh my god, Ace! What, is she wearing glasses so we can’t see her eyes?”

Ace waved the air in front of him. “I told you I didn’t have anything really. Just a feeling.”

Luffy put a hand to his chin, thoughtfully. “I sort of liked her hair. Like a little bit of moss on the bottom of a tree trunk.”

They both stared at him.

He looked up. “What? It was green!”

The two older brothers turned to each other.

Ace shrugged. “Maybe she doesn’t like green.”

Pasha shrugged back. “Maybe she was teased about it and tries to hide it.”

They both nodded to each other. “That must be it.”

The two older brothers started walking again.

Luffy trotted up, meeting their stride. “Hey… What did you guys mean… that it wasn’t her ‘natural’ hair color?”

Pasha looked over to the shorter boy. “Yeah, some people make their hair lighter or put color in their hair.”

“WHAT? How do they do THAT?”

Ace looked over. “They dye it.”

“THEY KILL THEIR HAIR AND IT CHANGES COLOR? What if it turns to something they don’t like? Is there a way to tell what it’s going to turn into? Maybe that’s what happened to Ray-nor, and she didn’t actually want brown hair, but she killed it and it just turned out that way.”

His brothers were laughing at this point.

Ace covered his face with a hand. “Yeah, that must be it, buddy.”

Pasha grinned, chuckling. “You solved the mystery.”

“Yippee! Oh wait. Does this mean that Mom killed her hair too?”

Pasha shrugged. “You can ask her when she gets back. I’m sure she’d tell you.”

“Ok! I hope it’s not dangerous.”

“Asking her?”

“NO!” Luffy turned around, walking backwards. “Killing your hair.”

Ace shrugged. “All of your hair can fall out, I think. If you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“WHAT! Then Ray-Ray’s lucky! Better to have brown hair then no hair. I wonder what color she really wanted…”

“Luffy watch where you’re going. I’m not paying for someone else’s food.”

“Ok!” The boy in the leopard hoodie raised his his hand and spun around.

They came up to the apartment building, and before they were able to open the front door, it opened for them. Stepping out from the darkened interior was the hobbling wrinkly peg legged form of Mr. Jenkins, The boys all took a step back.

His one remaining eye narrowed into a dark slit. “You.”

Ace’s eyes narrowed reflexively as he crossed his arms.

Pasha raised a brow, sweat forming at the edge of his hair. “Us?”

“Come in. Gutta talk.” The man mumbled almost indistinguishably, stepping inside, giving them room to enter the building.

The boys filed in, Ace’s eyes locked on the old man, body tense, ready to spring as Jenkins closed the door behind them.

He turned back, putting out a large calloused hand, nails chipped and brittle. “Give it ‘ere.”

The boys all looked at his outstretched hand.

Luffy walked up and have him a low five. “Nice!”

The man jerked his hand away. “No! Deh key!”

Ace crossed his arms. “What key?”

Pasha side-eyed Ace. “Our apartment key? Did you lose the one you had?”

He stared down the two older boys before letting his eyes focus on Luffy. “Lil bachgen.”

Luffy furrowed his brows. “I’m not little!”

Ace huffed. “Then why’d you answer to it?”

“AH!”

The old man knelt down on his good knee, giving Luffy a good long stare. “Where’s m’key.”

Luffy looked to the side, lips puckered. “Wh-what key…?”

Pasha put a hand over his face. “Luffy…”

Ace grimaced.

Painfully, the old man stood back up. “Yuh dun understan’. I’d ruther you ‘ave eet thun sumbodeh else.”

Ace looked past his hand. “Who?”

The man shook his head, his wild mop of frizzy grey hair obscuring his face. “Dunno. Been feelin’ eyes on meh lateleh. S’got meh on edge.”

“Ahhh…” Pasha shuffled his feet, glancing at Ace who huffed, looking to the side. “That… might have been us.”

“Nah, been seein’ yuh. ‘Ere’s been sumbodeh else. Befere yeh been trailin’ meh.”

The boys all groaned.

Ace put a hand through his hair, scowling. “Shit, what gave us away?”

The man simply pointed at Luffy.

The two older brothers nodded. “That’s fair.”

Luffy pouted, staring at the floor. “I was trying my best…”

Pasha chuckled, patting his shoulder. “We know Luffy, we know.”

“Also m’radio’s been fiddled wit. No professional be doin’ dat, leavin’ it on duh local station.”

Pasha chuckled, blushing slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “That was me.”

“Glad twas some nosey bechgyn n’ noh sum fiend er sort. Cunna ‘ave m’key back?”

Ace grumbled digging in his pocket, and placed the key into the man’s outstretched hand.

As soon as the metal hit his hand the man pocketed it.

The eldest brother turned away, crossing his arms. “Not like we found anything anyways.”

“Why you be stealin’ from an ol’ man loik me, when yr mam owns d’damn buildin’, I won ever understan’.” The man shook his head.

Luffy balled his fists. “We weren’t stealing! It was an investigation!”

“Investigatin’ what?”

Ace glanced back. “You.”

“Me? Why?” The man glared at them.

They all answered in unison. “You’re scary lookin’.”

The man flinched. “S’not m’fault. What were yeh lookin’ fer?”

Ace shrugged, looking away. “Anything. But we didn’t find anything about you. Just the old landlady’s artwork and some receipts.”

“Dun like yeh lookin’ through m’tings.” The man grumbled.

Ace lifted his hands up. “There wasn’t anything to look through.”

“Still dun like it, y’nosey bachgen. How would yeh like it if I went through yer stuff?”

Pasha raised a hand. “You do. You’re our housekeeper.”

“Dat’s not wut I mean!”

“We’re getting off track.” Ace shook his head, raising a brow. “Why do you think someone’s following you, besides us. Do you think it’s someone from your past?”

The man bobbed his head a little. “Ah doubt that. Nearly ever’bodeh dead now. Cun’ think of anyone that might spend duh effort t’ try t’find meh. Nah, I tink’s it sumptin else. Dunno what but it makin’ m’nervous. Like bechgyn going through m’tings.”

Ace put a hand up to his chin, pensively. “Here’s something. How about… we continue to follow you, but we keep an eye out for anyone watching or following you… but you got to tell us why you don’t have anything of your own. Like pictures or knick knacks or anything.”

The man sighed, staring the boy down. “Why y’gotta be so nosey?”

“It’s our house and we gotta know who’s in it.” Ace stated, adamantly.

The old man mumbled something indiscernible under his breath.

Luffy tilted his head. “What?”

The old man glanced at him and sighed.

“I dun haver much since I’ve been out t’sea most m’ loif. I’ve ‘ad pictures in m’past but dey’ve been destroyed ‘r lost. Dun loik pickin up knicky-knacks. Only keep nuff to take wit meh if I need tah go.”

“Why would you need to go?” Pasha raised a brow.

The man shrugged. “Yeh, never know. Tings can change in a moment. Wut I’ve learned is that you can’t rely on nuthin’.”

Ace stared at him, long and hard. Then nodded. “Good enough… Where are you going next?”

“Deh docks. Fishing boats be startin to haul back.”

Luffy pouted, puffing out his cheeks. “I don’t want to watch him anymore.”

Ace turned to both of his brothers. “If you guys want to do something else, go ahead. I’ll do it. I just need to grab something from upstairs.”

Ace bounded up the stairs, and disappearing into the top apartment.

Pasha put a hand to his chin before turning to Luffy. “Wanna head to the library?”

“Ok!”

The blonde haired boy nodded. “Let me get my bag. Might study a little.”

Luffy made a face. “I won’t.”

Pasha started up the stairs shaking his head, chuckling. “I figured.”

Luffy raised both of his hands as his blonde brother disappeared from view. “I’m going to read comics!”

The eight year old boy and the old man stood in the foyer in silence, waiting for the other two boys. Luffy latched onto the staircase banister, swinging himself back and forth lazily. He looked over to the old man.

“I still think you’re scary looking.”

The man winced.

Luffy grinned. “But you’re not as scary now.”

The old man wheezed out a dry, pained sigh as they heard the footfalls of Luffy’s older brothers above them.

 

Ace huffed as he sat on top of an empty crate, looking over some review sheets Pasha had made for both of them. He glanced up at the old man untangling and cleaning the fishing net of yet another boat. The boy let his eyes drift around the dock. No one was giving the old man a second thought. Ace sighed, packing up his school material. He slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked up to the nearest dock worker.

“Yo.”

The large sun baked man, looked down at the dark haired eleven year old, as he put down a crate. “Waddayah want?”

Ace pointed at Jenkins. “Y’know him?”

The man looked at the old man, raising an eyebrow. “I know _of_ him.”

“So you’ve noticed him around.”

“What about it?”

“Has anyone strange been at the docks lately, someone that usually isn’t here?”

“Besides you?” The man crossed his arms.

Ace nodded.

The man stared at him for a moment before talking. “Yeah, we get people, merchants all the time coming through here from all sorts of places.”

Ace narrowed his eyes. “Has anyone been just hangin’ around the docks the past week?”

The man huffed. “Been too busy to tell-… Wait…”

Ace’s eyes widened in interest.

“Yeah… Yeah now that you mentioned it there was. Some prim and proper lookin’ lady’s been spending a lot of time at that hole in the wall right there. Not the type of place those type of people like to drink, if y’know what I mean.”

Ace looked over to where the dockworker had motioned, to see a weather worn wooden building with the sign ‘The Siren’s Song’. There was a mermaid carved into the corner of the building, features muted and smoothed by the wear and tear of being outside.

Ace turned back to the man, grinning. “Awesome! Thanks for the help!”

“Ey, oh alright.” The man was caught a little off guard by the boy’s change of demeanor as the boy ran towards the dive bar.

 

The two younger brothers entered through one of the large double doors of the library.

Pasha looked over at Luffy who was practically hopping up and down in place. He huffed with a smile.

“Go find your comics. I’m going to look around.”

Luffy grinned, raising up both of his arms. “OK!”

“Shhhhh!” Came from the counter next to them, a balding middle aged man had a finger up to his lips.

Both boys mirrored him and put a finger to their lips apologetically, Pasha nodded to Luffy, and the smaller boy nodded vigorously back, scooting towards the periodicals.

The older boy with the cropped curly blonde hair, took in the view. Long tables lay in the middle open area, surrounded by rows of bookshelves to the sides and behind, as well as the second level above them, the center atrium area open all the way up to the skylight.

He quickly glanced at everyone in his view. His eyes caught a familiar white and olive green in the upper right corner of his vision, when he moved to get a better view of the second story, it was gone.

“Ok, up it is.” The boy adjusted the bag on his shoulder and made his way to the stairs.

 

“Waddaya on about?” The portly red faced woman heading the bar at the Siren’s Song shifted her cigar to the other side of her mouth.

Ace hopped on a bar stool, kneeling on it, putting his hands on the sticky bar surface. “I hear there’s been a fancy looking woman comin’ to this bar. Has she been here today?”

The woman eyed the boy carefully. “Friend ah yours?”

Ace nodded. “I think so. I just want to make sure.”

“She hasn’t been in today. Usually sits in that there corner. Orders a gin an’ soda, and suckles on that thing for hours. I should be tipped more.”

Ace dug in his pocket and pulled out a 100 berry coin and put it on the counter. “Thanks for the help.”

The woman picked up the coin, examining it as the boy went over to where she had pointed. “Not much but at least yah got manners.”

 

“Renoir?” Pasha looked down the row of bookshelves at the woman standing at the end, book in hand. The woman turned a page, not looking up.

He furrowed his brow. He was sure that was her. Same brown hair tied in the back, same outfit as before. He walked down the aisle, getting closer.

“Renoir?”

The woman turned her head slightly, then smiled. “One of those nice boys from before. Pasha, right?”

She closed the book with on hand and shelved it, walking over to him.

Pasha’s cheeks started to rouge up as she bent down to be more level with him. “Th-that’s right. How’s the research going?”

He motioned to the bookshelf she had just planted the book she had been reading.

She didn’t move to look away. “Just fine. Lot’s to read and not enough time in the day.”

Pasha chuckled, putting a hand on the back of his neck. “I know how you feel, you can learn so much from books. I’ve been able to finish the basic books on robotics and I think I’ll be able to make my own prototypes this summer!”

Her lip quivered slightly. “How interesting! What a smart boy you are. Are your brothers with you?”

“Luffy is. He’s looking for some comics to read right now. He’s probably found a soft chair to sit in, or bugging someone to let him have theirs.”

The woman chuckled, standing up straight. “It must be hard being both an older brother and a younger one. You always have to watch over the youngest and be bossed around by the oldest.”

Pasha looked down at the wooden paneled floor. “I don’t see it that way. Ace and Luffy can be pushy sometimes, sure, but we all work together as a team.”

“Ohh… what a kind and caring brother you are.”

Pasha blushed looking to the side. “Not always.”

“Come.”

He looked up to see a hand offered to him. He looked up the pretty young woman nearly a foot taller than him.

She smiled sweetly, tilting her head slightly. “Come read with me, Pasha.”

The boy’s mouth opened up into a smile as he gingerly took her hand.

 

Ace went over the table. He looked over and under it, examining the chairs and finding nothing but a dirty bar table next to an equally dirty window. He looked out the window. A good amount of the ocean was blocked by another building, leaving only a good view of the docks.

He stopped, his eyes widening as he looked out the window.

He went and sat in the seat with the clearest view out the window and a chill when down his spine. He jumped out of the chair and ran to the bar.

“Lady, lady!”

“What! I’m helping an actual paying customer.”

“Did the lady who sit there have brown hair? And round glasses?”

The woman turned from the patron at the bar, raising a brow. “I thought she was your friend.”

Ace looked down at the stained wooden counter. “I did too.”

He looked back up. “So that was her? Brown hair? Long skirt, round glasses? Never seen her before last week?”

“That’s the one.”

Ace slammed the counter. “Dammit!”

“Hey! Easy on the counter, I have glasses stacked here!”

But the boy was already out the door.

 

Luffy sighed contentedly as he closed the magazine. He looked at the cover art and grinned. He gathered up the other ones scattered around him on the soft cushy chair and made his way to the magazine racks, sticking them in haphazardly sort of close to where he thought he might have found them.

He looked around and then cupped his mouth. “PASHA!”

“SHHHH!!!” Multiple people turned towards the dark haired eight year old boy, a finger on their lips.

“Shi-shi-shi…” Luffy put a finger to his lips apologetically, as he inched away.

He walked all throughout the lower level, with no brother in sight. He frowned and made his way up one of the stairs.

He weaved through aisles of books he was one hundred percent sure didn’t have any pictures in them until he made his way to the second to last row where Pasha was sitting on the floor with Rey-ney, looking closely at a book in her hand. The they were talking but Luffy couldn’t make out about what because they were whispering.

Luffy trotted over, trying his quietest voice. “Pasha! I found you.”

His brother jerked up hitting his head on the bookshelf, making it lean precariously. Pasha quickly shot up and grabbed a side and a shelf and pulled it back towards him. The eleven year old blonde sighed as it equalized, rubbing his head.

Pasha turned to his little brother. “You didn’t have to sneak up on me like that.”

Luffy tilted his head. “Why are you guys on the floor for? There are chairs yah know.”

Pasha’s eyes widened and he blushed a little as he looked to the side. “It just… turned out that way.”

Luffy nodded. “I’m done with comics.”

“W-what?”

Luffy lifted a hand up. “I’m done reading comics. Let’s go find Ace.”

“Well I-...” He turned to Renoir who had stood up, brushing her skirt off. “Renoir… Are you going to stay here?”

The woman looked at them, smiling. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind heading back for now. Where are you headed?”

“T-towards the docks.”

“Perfect. I’m staying right around there. I’ll walk with you.”

Pasha brightened up. “Y-yeah? Great!”

Luffy’s mouth formed a line. “Are you slow?”

“LUFFY! RUDE!”

“WHAT? JUST ASKING!”

The woman chuckled next to them as they started their way to the front of the library.

“Silly children.”

 

 

Vice-Admiral Kuzan yawned, adjusting his sunglasses. It was late afternoon at Marineford and he had changed into civilian gear at Ailani’s request, wearing jeans, a beanie and a black v-neck tee. He wore boots and a long brown sleeveless hoodie on top.

“I told you to dress casual, not homeless.”

Ailani walked up sporting a teal lightweight bomber jacket, a tropical tank, neon green shorts, a black and neon patterned snapback cap and teal sneakers nearly the shade of her jacket.

The tall, dark haired man lifted his leg slightly off the ground, checking his jeans. “There aren’t that many holes in them.”

“Are you in exclusively in earthtones so you don’t have to wash them as much?”

The man frowned looking up her. “And are you managing traffic later?”

Ailani put one hand up to the side and motioned the other one in a circle. “How do I look? Not going to get run over am I. I need is a whistle, though.”

They both snickered.

Kuzan motioned a circle around his mouth. “And the bright green lips that’s…?”

Ailani pointed at her shorts. “To match my shorts.”

He nodded. “Cool. Well, where we headed?”

Ailani started motioning in the rigid traffic controller manner. “Well if you would just follow me this way…”

The man belt out a laugh, following his coworker just outside of Mainstreet.

 

“Giiiiiiiiirrrrrl, you could manage traffic in that outfit!”

Ailani and Kuzan pointed at each other as a cutely dressed bob haired black woman ran over from behind the counter to give the much larger woman a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

The smaller woman held Ailani’s face in her hands, smiling broadly. “It’s been too long! Now who’s this?”

The woman turned Ailani’s head towards Kuzan who had pocketed his sunglasses and was looking at the low stage along the back wall. “This is Kuzan. Coworker and friend.”

The woman’s eyes widened as she put her hands on her hips. “Is there a height requirement for your job or something, goddamn.”

The two officers in civilian clothes chuckled.

Ailani lifted her hand up to about her chin. “You must be this tall to go on this ride.”

Kuzan motioned out and then in with both hands. “Keep your hands and feet inside of the ride at all times or risk personal injury.”

Ailani belted out a laugh, putting her hands onto her hips as the man turned away smiling, trying not to laugh.

Ailani motioned to the shorter woman. “This, Kuzan, is the great Maricela, sweet songbird of the South Blue.”

“Pu-lease.” Maricela punched Ailani playfully on the arm before turning to Kuzan. “It’s only because I’m a soprano.”

Ailani glanced around. “Where’s Hugo? He’s usually at the bar.”

“UUughhh… he’s out getting some last minute provisions. Shelly and the Nighthawks are playing tonight. Expect a full house.”

Ailani motioned to herself with both hands. “Are we invited?”

The woman looked her over. “Well, you are early… and I certainly can’t kick you out.”

Ailani nodded. “Physically impossible.”

The woman grinned. “Hey, camp out over there. I’ll bring out the weird board games Josh left here and grab us some drinks. Hugo should be back soon, and we should have people start showing up in just a bit.”

Ailani and Kuzan found a booth to the far right of the stage, and in a short amount of time Maricela reappeared with a few boxes in her arms, placing them on the table, and dusting off a few of them.

“There we go, feel free to take a look. Be right back. Usual for you?”

She pointed at the large woman who nodded.

“And you?”

Kuzan had picked up a box and was examining it, but looked up. “Hmn?”

“Drink. What would you like?”

“Oh uh, whatever she’s having.”

“Two pint glasses full of Captain n' coke comin’ right up!”

Ailani glanced at her compatriot checking out the games. “Anything catch your eye?"

Kuzan lifted one up. “This one’s a drawing game of telephone.”

Ailani winced looking away. “Ugh no drawing. What else?”

“What, I can’t draw either.”

She raised a hand shaking her head. “Not like me.”

“HEEEEEY!”

The both looked up to a man with his spongy short black hair in slight twists and groomed beard around his broad smile, arms outstretched.

Ailani called back, standing up and mirroring the pose. “EEEEEY! Hugo!”

They joined in a hug, as the smaller man chuckled. “It’s been so long, how have you been?”

Ailani pulled back. Music started to filter through a few speakers by the stage.

“Been good. Busy… but better then usual.”

The man padded her arm. “That’s good to hear. Oh, who’s your friend?”

Hugo leaned across the table and offered his hand to Kuzan.

The tall man took it. “Kuzan.”

Ailani motioned to him. “We work together. Well, different departments.”

“Rad.” Hugo pulled back. “Has Maricela-”

“Here they aaaarrre…” Maricela waltzed over tray with drinks in hand. “Got something for you too, hun.”

“Thanks babe.” The man grabbed a clear looking fizzy drink, giving her a peck on the cheek and taking a sip.

A man in a wide brimmed black hat and a fairly sizable black case walked past the bar. Hugo pointed at him. “Michelangelo!”

The man turned and dipped his hat. “Sup chief.”

“Make yourself comfortable, Antoni’s not in yet.”

“You got it.” The man reached over the counter and crafted himself a quick drink before heading behind the stage with his case.

Hugo tapped on the table. “Anyways, gotta finish bringing in the last of our inventory.”

Ailani started to stand up from her seat again after just sitting down. “Need any help bringing it in?”

The man motioned down. “And deprive Maricela of your company? I’d never hear the end of it. Just chill out. Be back sooner than you know.”

The man disappeared into a back room.

Maricela slid into the booth next to Ailani. “Yeeeeesss, tell me everything you’ve been up to.”

More people filed in, patrons and a few employees and also a few people that Maricela and Ailani recognized and that sat down to join them. The man briefly mentioned as Antoni arrived and after a quick warm up on the piano, and Michelangelo on the sax, they started cool jazz covers of popular songs on stage. It took another hour or so of conversation and card games before the venue was filled and Michelangelo and Antoni stepped away to applause. The music filtered back in through the speakers for a little while, until the lights dimmed, and the curtains opened again, to a band set up, singer out front.

The music started, jazzy contemporary classics but with a vintage feel, when a warrant officer in uniform, was spotted by the vice admirals as the man flagged down the barkeeper. The barkeeper pointed them out, and the man hurried over to their table.

The man was breathing hard from running. “You’re very hard… to find, Vice Admiral Mahi’ai.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That’s the point.”

He leaned in, music still being performed onstage. “There’s been a situation on Minnow Island.”

As he spoke a bit more, her eyes widened, and she stood up.

She leaned into the table, trying to not be too loud. “Sorry I have to go.”

Kuzan got up as well, nodded to everyone at the table and followed her and the warrant officer out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got some time off to finish this chapter!  
> Thank you Nike, Maddy, StrawFairy, Kyotokiki, Estriella and Jisa for your wonderful comments, and for everyone who left Kudos.  
> I haven't been updating as often, but I am still working on this piece. We still got a ways to go.  
> Thank you everyone for your patience.


	28. Revealing

Ace weaved through people like a fish navigating around rocks in a fast stream, racing full speed to the library. He ran up the steps, nearly jumping all of them and rushed to the front counter to the librarian, a man he’d seen many times before.

The balding middle aged man protested. “There’s a line-”

“Have you seen my brothers?” Ace’s body heaved with each breath.

The man gaped, but then pointed back towards to the door Ace had just burst through. “They just left, I’m surprised you didn’t see them on your way in-...”

Ace nodded and was already at the door, dipping past a man who had just opened it. He jumped on top of one of the fish statues bordering the entrance, and scanned the town center. There, on the street leading to the south side of the bay, he saw a glimpse of Luffy’s hoodie.

He leapt off and ran in that direction but lost sight of them by the time he made it to where he had spotted the ears of that leopard hoodie. He rushed into an alley, jumped onto the nearest fire escape and hoisted himself up, practically flew up the metal stairs until he reached the roof. He scoured what he could see of the street, before running and leaping to the next roof and then the next, eyes frantically searching. He jumped a couple more buildings before he saw the white and green silhouette of that woman turning left down an alley.

Eyes focused like a cat on prey, Ace leapt from building to building before hurling himself off onto the street, landing with a roll and onto his feet running, scaring the pedestrians around him but hardly registering it, eyes locked on where he had last seen her. He slid into the alley, watching the taller figure followed the smaller ones of his brothers.

“PASH! LUFFY!”

They all stopped and turned around. He ran up to them, taking a moment to catch his breath, but not taking his eyes off the woman’s face, obscured by her large round glasses.

Pasha maneuvered around her. “We were just coming to find-”

“WHO ARE YOU?” Ace stood up straight, eyes on where he assumed hers were.

The woman tilted her head. “Excuse me? Don’t you-”

Ace, face tilted down, eyes focused on her as he walked slowly towards them, circling around towards his brothers. “I found the seat in that old dive bar you’ve been using to watch old man Jenkins. The woman at the bar identified you. Why have you been following him?”

“Oh dear.” The woman reached up and lifted her glasses up off her face, amber eyes boring into him. “What a tizy. You really are too smart for your own good.”

Pasha furrowed his brow, before taking a step back from her. “What… what do you mean?”

She looked down at him with that sweet smile, placing her glasses on top of her head. ‘It means… a change of plans.”

Luffy came up to the other side. “What’s going-...”

She snatched him and jumped back fast as the wind before Pasha could do anything, a spike in her hand to Luffy’s throat.

Luffy’s eyes widened at the spike before looking back at his brothers. “Guys… GUYS!”

Pasha’s hands turned to fists as he readied his stance. “RENOIR! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?”

“That’s not even my real name, you  _ silly  _ boy.”

Ace came up beside him. “Let. Him.  _ Go _ .”

The woman took a couple lazy steps back, examining Luffy as tears started to form in the corners of his eyes as he glared up at her. “Oh hush little baby. I’m sure your mommy will do whatever we want to get you back as long as your brothers-...”

She looked up at them. “-don’t do anything stupid.”

Ace bared his teeth. “So this was your plan... kidnapping?”

“No, no-no.” Her smile turning menacingly wide. “This is a last resort. I had a simple mission. Kill the housekeeper. Make it look like an accident. Take his place. The young master said it would be easy enough for me to get the job, since  _ everyone's  _ heard the rumors about the Vice-Admiral’s-OW!”

Luffy bit into the woman’s forearm as he kicked back into her side.

She flinched back cutting a line into the boy’s throat as the small rubber boy thinned himself and slipped out of her grasp. She tried getting another hold, but he wiggled just out of her reach and rolled away.

“Luff!” Pasha grabbed him as Ace flew at the woman with a kick, which she blocked with her weapon.

The woman grimaced as Ace spun around for another kick.

Blood dribbled from Luffy’s neck and onto his leopard hoodie. Pasha took Luffy’s hand and pressed it on the cut.

“Keep pressure on it.” He turned and ran to help Ace.

“WAIT! I wanna help!” Luffy started towards them.

Pasha turned his head. “NO! KEEP PRESSURE ON IT!”

The amber eyed woman glanced past Ace and at the oncoming boy. “Oh dear. I guess it can’t be helped.”

Ace’s next punch went right through her into a puff of white.

His eyes widened. “W-what?”

Pasha came in with a kick from above and went right through her shoulder.

“Silly boys…” Her body lifted up, turning into a large amorphous mass of white.

The three boys shivered, their breath puffing out in front of their mouths like small puffs of fog.

Luffy lifted his other, unbloody hand, catching a small flake of white then licking it. His eyes widened, and he looked to his brothers as white started to amass on the ground and creep along the walls.

“It’s SNOW!”

The two older boys stood ready in front of the swirling mass of white, not turning away from the threat.

Pasha whispered. “She’s a devil fruit user.”

Ace side-eyed him, glasses fogging up. “Logia?”

The blonde boy nodded, not taking his eyes off of her, brow furrowed. “Looks like.”

The woman’s face appeared disproportionately wide on the mass of swirling snow. “Don’t you know… you are severely outclassed?”

Ace’s eyes narrowed even more. “We’ll see about that.”

Pasha turned his head to the side. “Luffy. Go to the base. Get help.”

“But I wanna-”

Just then the mass of snow shifted, going down then reappearing behind them hurtling towards the youngest brother. 

“ _ You’re not going anywhere _ !”

“AH!” Luffy took a step back and slid on the icy slick surface.

“LUFFY!”

Ace and Pasha raced after the mass, barreling through it.

“LUFFY!” Ace yelled. “It’s like TAG! Don’t let it TOUCH YOU!”

Something clicked and Luffy nodded, wriggling away and speeding off back from where they came, avoiding and swerving away from the multiple reaching and grasping snowy arms. Ace jumped off the wall and kicked through one of the arms, readying his stance to attack again.

Pasha landed next to him grabbing his arm. “Now is not the time!”

“I wanna finish this.”

“BY DOING WHAT? Punching SNOW?”

Ace stared at the mass of snow starting to form large spikes along its surface, turning its attention to them, Luffy having disappeared off onto the street. “It must have a weak point.”

“YEAH. Water and heat! Let’s get out of  _ COOL _ ,  _ DARK _ ,  _ WATERLESS _ ALLEY PLEASE!”

Ace’s expression loosened as they both jumped out of the way of the oncoming spike attack and they vaulted from wall to wall until they pulled themselves onto the roofs of the two buildings making the alley. 

Pasha narrowed his eyes to the snow Logia down below. “Let’s regroup with Luffy and make our way to the base.”

Ace nodded as a pillar of snow shot up in the space between the buildings, arms splitting off after them. The boys ran off in opposite directions, Pasha towards the bay across two roofs and then down into an alley and Ace jumping from roof to roof towards the cliffs and where they last saw Luffy heading. He saw the snow dip down back into the alley before he jumped down, landing right in front of Luffy.

“EEE-!” His youngest brother flung his arms up skidding to a stop

Ace put a hand over the smaller boy’s mouth, putting a finger to his own mouth and motioning north with his head. Luffy put a finger up to his mouth as Ace pulled his hand away, and they both started towards the base.

 

“Li-ttle... Pa-sha...” 

The sing songy voice echoed through the dock warehouse Pasha had decided to cut through, making his way to the base on the north side of the bay. He had heard someone slide the door behind him and had dipped behind some wine crates in the heavily stocked warehouse.

The slithering sound of snow made way for light footfalls.

“Come out... Come out… wherever.. you are…”

The steps stopped in front of where the boy was hiding, and slid around a little.

“I thought we were frieeeends, Paashaaa…”

Sweat dripped down the boy’s face as he inched to the side, turning the corner just a big snowy form went over the crates to look behind them reaching up and around like the white neck of an egret. It retracted as the boy went around the partially snowy form of the woman he knew as Renoir. He dipped behind a cylindrical concrete pillar. 

“I know you’re in here… Paaaashaaa…”

The wet staticy sound of snow moved behind and to the left him, possibly checking behind the other side stacked boxes and barrels in the warehouse.

“You can’t hide foreeeeveeeer…” 

He peeked to his left as the sound receded, watching as the woman’s glowing amber eyes shifted around searching, before looking up to the ceiling. Her snowy form morphed and made a tower up onto the rafters supporting the structure of the warehouse. Pasha went back behind the pillar, clenching his teeth. He crouched down and moved away, backwards, keeping his eyes up to the rafters above him.

 

“Shit.” Ace skid to a stop.

Luffy ran a couple paces ahead of him, but then stopped, spinning around. “What? Did you lose your way? The base is right there.”

The younger dark haired boy pointed up to the base’s artillery dome, visible past the houses in front of them.

Ace waved a hand, looking back from where they came. “Pasha should have met up with us by now.”

“Maybe he’s already at the base?”

Ace ran up to the narrow divide between two buildings and started scooting himself through.

“Hey!” Luffy yelled and ran after him.

They reached the back alley, and Ace quickly located a fire escape and jumped up to it.

Luffy frowned and stretched his arms up to the building’s roof ledge, then started pulling himself up. “You don’t think he’s at the base?”

Ace shook his head as he came onto the roof, and he looked out towards the bay. “He would’ve checked to make sure we were safe first.”

Luffy’s brow furrowed as he followed his brother’s gaze. “Where is he?”

“He was heading towards the bay last I saw him. Probably cut through the warehouses by the docks to make a straight line to the base and loop around. Let’s go.”

Luffy nodded and they jumped to the next roof towards the bay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your support!   
> Have a little bit extra written for this chapter, but the end was taking a little too long to wrap up... SO! Leaving you with a cliff hanger, so I'll have a little bit of meat to work on for the next chapter.  
> Thank you Kyotokiki, Estriella and Maddy for your comments, and thank you everyone who subscribed to the piece and left kudos!


	29. Snowed Over

Pasha couldn’t breathe. The white mass that had caught and surrounded him pressed down more and more threatening to push whatever air he had out of him.

There was a shift in the snow to his side.

“You boys really made a mess of things.” The voice was clear, as if she was right by his ear but he wasn’t able to turn his head or move his body.

The woman hummed a giggle before he was flung against a wall, hard, knocking the air out of him. The snow reformed around him securing him to the brick exterior of another warehouse. He gasped in a breath of air, coughing, body violently shivering, both blood and snot leaking from his nose.

The woman’s light tinkling laughter echoed in the alley around him as medium sized pillar of snow formed up in front of him, morphing into the familiar female form. The half snowy woman smiled sweetly, wiping a small dribble of blood from the side of his lip. “Pasha, Pasha. Be a good boy, don’t struggle. I need you alive to make this work.”

“W-w-w-why a-a-are you doing th-this?” He chattered out.

Her smile grew a little too wide for her face and the snow pulled him off the wall and onto the ground, still holding him tight as it drifted him towards the bay, next to the woman.

“The young master has big plans and the Vice Admiral has been… a minor inconvenience we’d like to… resolve.”

“Wh-wh-wh-who’s ‘we’?”

The snow stopped moving and the woman hovered over him, grinning, transponder snail in her hand. “You’ll see soon eno-”

There was a loud thwack.

The woman’s face went blank and the snow around Pasha went loose. The boy quickly kicked up and out of it, jumping up and away as the woman crumpled to the pavement. Behind her, holding a sizable porous rock, was their housekeeper.

“Dos i ffwicio dy hun y cont.”

“M-Mr. Jenkins!” Pasha gasped.

The man placed the rock on top of the woman’s unconscious body, the snow slowly dissipating around them.

He looked up at the shivering boy and started taking off his overshirt as he hobbled over.

“Ay bachgen. Y’get inta tha sun b’fore ye catch a nasty sorta cold.”

Pasha took the shirt offered to him without question and wrapped it around himself. “B-but what about h-her?”

“PASHA!”

The two of them looked over at the two boys jumping onto the street from above.

Pasha’s face morphed into a wide open grin as Luffy slammed into him, almost knocking him over.

“PAAAAASHAAAA!!!” The smallest boy squished into him, arms looping around him multiple times, watery eyes peeking up at him. “You’re cold!”

Ace walked over, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You… alright?”

Pasha nodded, snorting up a bit of snot, still shaking but not as bad as before. “Y-yeah. Mr. Jenkins kn-knocked her out.”

The eldest boy glanced at the old man and then the woman splayed out on the ground, a fairly large rock on her back.

“Is that…?”

The old man nodded slowly. “Ay. Seastone. Cove’s fulla it. Y’bechgyn tink y’cun muster up sum rope?”

Pasha sneezed, rubbing his nose with his arm. “There should be some in that warehouse.”

“I’LL GET IT!” Luffy hollered, running into the warehouse.

Ace turned back to them, pointing his thumb to the open warehouse door. “He’ll get it.”

The boys chuckled and Pasha sneezed again.

Ace’s eyes fell upon the pink body of a transponder snail flailing and failing to right itself a few feet away. He strolled over, picking it up.

Pasha watched him, eyes widening. “Oh! That’s her’s. She was going to call someone. To pick us up, I think.”

The snail’s shell had a feathery appearance and slanted eyes like fancy sunglasses.

Ace eyes narrowed as he studied it.

Pasha sneezed as he walked over next to him. “We should take it to the base. Mom would like to take a look at it. When she gets back.”

Ace leaned a little to the side so their shoulders met. “We could call them right now.”

Pasha rested his weight against his brother’s shoulder. “And do what? Remember, we weren’t their target, _mom_ was. She’ll want to get her hands on this. She has more experience with this sort of stuff than us.”

“I FOUND IT!” Luffy bounded out with armfuls of rope, some of it trailing around him causing him to trip, take a few clumsy steps before completely losing his balance and falling on his face.

He lifted himself up, completely draped in rope, lifting parts of it up, triumphantly. “I found the rope!”

His brothers gave him a thumbs up. “Good job.”

The old man hobbled over to help the youngest boy out of the nest of rope he had inadvertently tangled himself in. “It’s fer tyin’ ‘er up not you. We gotta make sure the rock’s on ‘er or we’ll be in a barrel of trouble when she come to. You boys think y’can manage haulin’ ‘er ass up to d’ base?”

“Sure.”

“No problem.”

“Aye-aye!”

 

The slim, violet haired commodore of the base watched as the boys carried a body into the open courtyard from the second story walkway, an old man hobbling behind them. The commodore was halfway through his cigarette, a summer flavored mineral water in his other hand as he lounged, one leg on the railing. He made a face as Marines started to crowd around the boys, and put his cigarette out on one of the many dark burn marks dalmation marking the once pristine white paint of the railing.

He took one step onto the railing and jumped down to the courtyard below, jumpin in the air once to soften this landing. The marines around the boys moved out of his way, unprompted, as he walked forward.

The commodore motioned down at the body, one hand at his waist, fingers still holding his sparkling water. “I am not burying a body for you.”

Luffy furrowed his brow and balled his fists. “She’s not dead!”

And he looked back at his brothers. “She’s not dead, right?”

They nodded. Ace walked in front of the man, eyes obscured by his glasses. “She was planning to kill our housekeeper to get to mom. We figured out what was happening, and confronted her. She tried to kidnap one of us instead.”

Pasha nodded coming up next to him. “She’s a Snow Logia, and employed by someone she referred to as the ‘young master’. She was using this to contact someone to pick us up.”

He lifted up the snail, and the commodore took it.

The man’s face was partially obscured. “Are you saying that you defeated a Logia…”

Pasha looked back towards the old man who was inching away from the group of marines. “Well actually-”

“-when _I_ could have defeated a Logia!” He put a hand over his chest with a dramatic flourish.

The boys stared at him. “What.”

“ _UUUUUGGGHHHH_! Here I am wasting my time working administrative work-”

Lt. Maynard, the pony tailed Marine they had sparred with before, leaned in towards the boys from the small crowd forming around them, speaking low. “Smoking cigarettes on the balcony and whining about work.”

“-when there are rogue Logia’s running about causing havoc on our dear city!” The commodore spun around around and started slowly walking back towards his office.

“Fighting a _Snow Logia_ … well that would have have put me in for a _promotion_ , or at least gotten me _noticed_ and hopefully transferred out of SNORESVILLE-”

He stopped short, flinging his arms up dramatically. “-AND AT THE VERY LEAST KEPT ME _ENTERTAINED_!”

The boys watched as the man lit a cigarette, still grumbling before he continued towards the stairs leading to the second floor.

Pasha’s frowned, raising a brow. “Do we… do we follow him?”

Ace’s mouth scrunched up in mild distast. “I guess. He has the snail.”

Maynard sighed, resting his hands on his hips. “We’ll put her in a holding cell and put some seastone cuffs on her. You’d… you go… follow him. He’ll call your mom for you. Let her know you’re alright.”

The boys nodded and let the Lieutenant pick up the woman and start carrying her to the brig.

 

“So.” The man sat down at a desk remarkably clear of any paperwork, putting his legs up on it. “You want me to call the Vice Admiral for you? We already have the suspect detained, don’t see why we need to bother her.”

Ace put his hands on the desk. “Someone’s trying to stop her from something she’s investigating, she’ll want to know right away.”

Pasha nodded at his brother, before turning to the commodore. “And she’ll want to know we’re safe. If she only finds out when she gets here I’m sure she’ll be mad that she didn’t know as soon as possible.”

The commodore waved his hand dismissively, before reaching for another transponder snail on the desk. “Fine, fine… I guess I’ll call- HEY! Put. That. Back.”

Luffy froze, handling a glass stag beetle. “But you have so many!”

The man narrowed his eyes. “Back.”

The eight year old pouted and put it back sort of where he had found it, on a shelf with some books, and not on the shelf exclusively lined with glass animals.

The man eyed him carefully as he picked up the snail’s receiver, pushing the buttons on the side. After a moment of ringing, the snail started talking with a navy cap on.

“Navy Vessel 11-282.”

“This is Commodore Levyan in Minnow Island. Get me Vice Admiral Mahi’ai.”

“The-... the Vice Admiral is out for the day, and won’t be in until later this ev-”

“Get Captain Bastille on the phone.”

“Ay-ay!”

The snail went neutral, before forming a horned goalie mask. “This better be important-dara.”

Commodore Levyan rolled his eyes. “Of course it is, why would I call for ANY other reason except for the UTMOST importance.”

“To complain. You know I can’t tell you to shut up because you’re above me, right-dara?” The snail yawned.

The violet haired man narrowed his eyes at the snail. “The privileges of rank. I need the vice admiral on the phone, immediately.”

“You know she doesn’t have to listen to you complain-dara? ‘Privileges or rank,’ like you said.”

“Oh? Alright then. I guess I’ll just tell her when she gets back to base that you didn’t want to get her when I called to let her know that her boys were almost kidnapped, but that’s fine. See you back at base...”

He started to hang up the transponder.

The horned goalie masked snail suddenly became alert. “W-... what? Are they alright?”

Luffy hopped partially onto the desk and pulled the commodore’s hand with the transponder towards himself. “We’re fine! We caught a baddie!”

“That’s… that good-dara!”

The smartly dressed commodore snagged his hand back, narrowing his eyes at the small boy.

“Now that you understand the situation properly... Get. Her. _Now_.”

“Alright, right away. She’ll call you back.”

“Wait-!”

The snail went dormant. Commodore Levyan hung up the receiver grimacing. “I meant, like... NOW, now. Not like… _‘she’ll call you back later,’_ now.”

He looked up at the boys, visibly annoyed. “Well that’s as good as we’re going to get.”

Ace stared at the snail. “How long do you think it’ll be?”

“‘ _How long do you think it’ll be?_ ’” The man mocked in a slightly higher pitched tone, causing Ace to scowl at him, before the man continued, leaning back in his chair motioning absently with his hand. “Who knows. I’ve successfully transferred responsibility, it’s out of my hands now. Now go do… whatever it is that little monsters do- EXCEPT FOR THAT!”

He quickly stood up and pointed at Luffy, who was holding a glass elephant. The boy froze, teeth bared, putting the elephant sort of where he had found it, on a shelf with some mostly empty labelled folders, and not on the shelf next to it, filled with a glistening menagerie of glass creatures.

“Just... GO.”

The boys filed out of the office, closing the door behind them.

“Here.” Pasha pulled a glass fox from his pocket, handing it to Luffy as they walked to the stairs.

Their brother’s eyes lit up. “For ME?”

Ace came up to his other side and put a glass leopard in Luffy’s other hand. “As long as you keep quiet about it.”

Luffy grinned, lifting the two animals up in front of him as they glittered almost like crystal in the sun. He brought them to his chest, beaming. “Thanks!”

Pasha stared at the dried blood on leopard hoodie, up to the crusty slash on his little brother’s throat before looking away. “Don’t mention it.”

“Seriously.” Ace jumped down the final steps, turning to them. “Don’t mention it. He didn’t see us take them, and he doesn’t need to hear that we did, either.”

Luffy did an enthusiastic nod. “Mm-hm!”

They eventually found the housekeeper fidgeting nervously across the street from the base, and they all made their way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Kytotokiki and Mandy for your comments, and everyone who subscribed and bookmarked this piece, as well as everyone leaving kudos! I am so glad you all are enjoying this piece!


	30. Decisions

“Hey, you alright?”

Pasha looked up from the egg he had been absently poking with a fork. “Huh?”

The entire kitchen was a mess around them - frying pans and egg all along the counter, eggshells on the floor next to the garbage and open containers of bread and cheese.

Ace raised a brow, pointing at his plate. “Luffy’s been staring at your plate almost as long as you have. You might lose it.”

Pasha shook himself, sniffling and rubbing his nose on his shoulder sleeve. “I just… I feel a little more out of it today. Didn’t sleep good. Not that… hungry.”

Luffy slurped down the fried egg in his mouth. “Wow, you must be out of it.”

Ace took a bite of his breakfast sandwich. “You look paler than usual.”

The blonde haired boy’s mouth formed a line before sticking his tongue out at his brother.

The boys heard a sound at the apartment’s entrance and looked over as the padlock unlocked and the door opened.

“MOM!”

The boys jumped out of their seats and ran into the fully uniformed Ailani, Luffy jumping into her arms as she bent down, and the other two boys embracing her on either side. Luffy hung onto her neck as she pulled the other two into a hug and held them.

After a moment or two, Luffy patted the back of his mom’s shoulder. “Mom, you’re squishing me.”

“I know.” She pulled back looking at each of them.

The boys grinned at her.

“Did you hear we caught a baddie?” Luffy chirped.

A strange look came across the large woman’s face. “I did.”

She reached over to the boy and peeled back the bandage on his neck to take a look. She pressed the back of her finger lightly to the cleaned scabbed up tear before nodding softly as she put the bandage back on. “It’s not hot to the touch which is good. Does it hurt?”

Luffy shook his head. “It’s fine! I’ve had worse.”

Ailani nodded again and reached over to Pasha to put a hand through his curly blonde hair that was starting to grow slightly longer. “How are you doing? I heard you took the brunt of the attack.”

Pasha touched his right shoulder. “I have some pretty big bruises on my back and shoulder.”

“Anything dislocated?” She frowned, placing the back of her hand on his forehead.

He shook his head. “No, we got checked out.”

“You have a temperature.”

“I feel a little dizzy.”

Ace raised a hand. “He was stuck in snow for a while and it’s almost summer.”

Luffy nodded. “He fought that lady one-on-one!”

Ailani glanced at Luffy while standing up, before looking back at Pasha. “Take it easy today, and I’ll pick up some medicine and soup. There should be some vitamins in my medicine cabinet that will help too.”

Pasha nodded, turning towards the stairs. “I’ll go get it.”

Ailani shook her head, hanging up her white coat. “No. We need to talk. Everyone into the living room.”

The boys looked at each other and did as they were told. They piled onto the couch and Ailani sat on the loveseat across from them, almost taking up the entirety of it. She stared at the coffee table in between them, hands on her knees before shifting and intertwining her hands together.

“We… need to have a serious talk, and make an important decision.”

The boys glanced at each other.

Luffy frowned, looking over to their mom. “Is it… about that lady?”

“...In a way.”

Pasha furrowed his brow. “Who was she, really? Do you know?”

She nodded. “I interrogated her before heading home, and we did some research as well. Her name’s Monet. She’s a member of the Donquixote Pirates. A group of pirates that specialize in illegal arms dealing and drug distribution.”

Luffy lifted his arms. “Illegal… arms?”

Ace glanced at him. “Guns and stuff.”

Pasha looked from his brothers to their mom. “What did they want with you?”

She lifted her intertwined hands up to her mouth, resting them there. “I’ve been tracking the Donquixote Pirates since discovering our last CFO had invested considerably in some of their ventures.”

“Wait.” Pasha sat upright, hands on his legs. “The guy who had your job? But wasn’t he in charge of the Navy’s money?”

Ailani nodded, closing her eyes. “He used the Navy’s money to make himself money. He usually made enough to put it back or made excuses and changed the numbers so no one would get wise to what he was doing. And Doflamingo was very good at paying him back on his investments.”

Luffy nodded. “But you caught that guy.”

“I did not. I gathered enough evidence to get him convicted, but he and his closest associate escaped when we went to arrest him.”

Ace furrowed his brow. “Do you think he’s behind this? Do you think he’s working with Doflamingo to get back at you?”

The corner of her lip quivered up. “I highly doubt that, but stranger things have happened. Doflamingo has his own reasons to try and stop me. I’ve been following news of his activities closely and I’ve noticed a change in his behavior. I’ve mentioned a few of my theories to the Fleet Admiral about a month back, and considering that Doflamingo has attempted to go after me, I can assume one of them is accurate.”

Pasha raised a brow, putting a hand up to his chin. “But how did he find out?”

Luffy looked at his brother. “Huh?”

Ace nodded, mirroring Pasha’s action. “Pasha’s right. How did this drug dealing pirate figure out what you told the Fleet Admiral? Did you tell anyone else?”

Ailani smirked at her eldest boy, narrowing her eyes. “You’re quick to catch on. I told the Fleet Admiral because it was my moral obligation, but also... to test a theory.”

Luffy furrowed his brow. “What?”

Ace smirked at him, glasses obscuring his eyes. “Mom thought someone might be passing information to Doflamingo.”

Ailani’s mouth widened into a smile, and she closed her eyes. “There’s a leak. Someone working in the Marines is actually an agent for Doflamingo. That means that I have to be careful with what I disclose to higher command so I don’t compromise anything too important. I don’t want to tell the Fleet Admiral about the leak, because I don’t want to tip that person off that he’s raised suspicion.”

Pasha narrowed his eyes. “Do you think it’s the Fleet Admiral?”

She shook her head. “Absolutely not. He has history with Doflamingo. He’s more likely to strangle him with his own bare hands if he ever sees him then willingly help him in the slightest. It’s someone else.”

Ace frowned. “Who are the suspects?”

Ailani sighed. “With this latest occurrence I’ve narrowed it down to about five or six likely culprits and about twenty less possible but not out of the realm of possibility suspects.”

All three of the boys grimaced.

Pasha sighed as well. “That’s too many!”

She smiled back at them. “It’s a much smaller list than I started with.”

Ace nodded. “So you want us to find the leak.”

“Wha-?” Ailani blinked a couple of times then shook her head. “No, no I don’t.”

Ace’s frown deepened. “You said we had to make a decision. About what?”

Ailani looked at her boys taking in a deep breath, eyes looking down at the table between them.

After a moment she spoke.

“As you have experienced, it is not… safe… to be around me, and as your mother it is my job to make sure that you are safe.”

Pasha stood up from the couch. “That wasn’t your fault! You didn’t know that Monet was going come and try to kill Mr. Jenkins!”

“But I knew there was a possibility that someone could come and try to pull something. Not only because I have very valuable information that many individuals want to use to their advantage, but I also have, and intend to continue to use the information I gather to my use towards my own goals.”

Ace raised a brow. “Which are?”

She looked at him appraisingly for a moment. “To… make the world a better, safer place. And not just for those who hold the power and money to bend people to their will. I believe the Navy should be there to protect all people. Not just some people.”

Luffy furrowed his brow, looking down at the table. “The Navy only protects… some people?”

She nodded. “Remember that I said the Navy is an arm of the World Government? The rulers of that government and all of those related to them are the top priority in the hierarchy or the Navy. The government just cares that there are enough people left for them to rule. Also, having pirates wreak havoc on towns now and again is good for them. Especially if it is particularly heinous.”

The boys’ eyes widened.

Ace bared his teeth. “Why would they want that!”

She glanced down. “If everyone is focused on how awful pirates are then they won’t turn their attention towards the World Government and their quite obvious failings.”

“And you know this? And still work for them?” Pasha glared at her.

A small smile curled the corners of her lips, eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m in a better position to help people if I am employed by the Navy. It has its limits, but at the very least I am able to manage the damage at the source. It doesn’t always work out and has on occasion gotten me in a good amount of trouble in the past. But I have been able to stay alive despite it all and learn. And with it all, become a better... liar.”

Luffy scowled. “But… isn’t lying bad?”

Their mother huffed. “Lying to liars is sometimes the only way to keep important information safe. Crows trick other crows to hide their finds.”

Luffy looked up to the window thoughtfully, lips pouting out. “I’m bad at lying.”

Ailani reached over the table and ruffled his hair. “You’d make one bad crow.”

Luffy lifted his arms, flexing them. “OR THE STRONGEST ONE!”

His mother and brothers chuckled as she sat down.

Her expression sombered. “Back to the issue at hand. As things are right now it is not safe for you to be here. So we have a choice to make.”

Ace and Pasha’s eyes widened, the eldest clenching his teeth, and the younger’s mouth gaping open.

Luffy tilted his head. “What is it?”

Ace jumped off the couch. “DON’T MAKE US LEAVE!”

Pasha hands clenched into fists as his eyes darted to the floor. “You don’t want us here?”

Luffy looked back and forth at this brothers before jumping up to stand on the couch. “WHAT?”

He turned to their mom. “YOU’RE MAKING US LEAVE?”

She looking down. “What I ‘want’ doesn’t matter. Your safety is more important.”

Luffy started tearing up. “NOOO!”

Ace lifted his hands up into fists. “WE’LL GET STRONGER! WE ALL WILL! I PROMISE!”

Her eyes narrowed. “Strength isn’t enough, and you barely made it through this time. If it were anyone more seasoned, one, or all of you would have been captured, or worse, dead. It would be irresponsible for me to keep you here.”

Ace put a hand to his chest. “You aren’t keeping us here!”

Pasha’s eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. “Ace is right! We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t want to be. What about what _we_ want?”

Luffy jumped over the coffee table and wrigged into his mom’s arms, stretching his arms around her, latching on with all his strength. “I WANT TO STAY! I WANT TO STAY WITH MOM!”

Ailani embraced him back, gently running a hand through his mess mop of black hair. “And what if you die? What then? What would any of you do… what would I do, if one of you died because of me.”

Pasha walked around the table, putting a hand on her left arm. “It wouldn’t be your fault. This wasn’t your fault. It was those pirates, _they’re_ the bad guys. _They’re_ the ones doing this.”

She took a hand and caressed his face. “But _I’m_ the one that brought you here. _I_ put you in danger.”

Ace walked over to her other side and rest his forehead against her leg. “I’d rather be dead then live somewhere safe without you.”

“Ace!” Ailani’s eyes widened. “You’re eleven! Don’t say that melodramatic shit.”

The boy turned his face away, forehead still on her leg. “It’s true.”

She sighed. “Come here.”

Luffy still clinging onto her, making a wet spot on her shirt with his tears and snot, Ailani picked up Ace and then Pasha into a hug.

They all embraced for a moment, before she spoke again. “ _IF_ … if you truly want to stay here… things will have to change. And you might not like it. Since you are not strong enough to defeat some of the people that might come after you, you have to learn how to deal with it, and minimize the risks to yourselves.”

She eyed Ace at the last statement and he turned his face into her arm.

Luffy lifted his face up, his face still damp. “But why would they go after us?”

“Because,” she bent down and gave him a kiss on his forehead. “It’s the easiest way to hurt me.”

Pasha rested his head against her large shoulder. “We’re a liability as long as we’re with you.”

“Because we’re weak.” Ace’s voice muffled out from her arm.

Ailani rested the side of her face on top of his head. “You’re stronger than people expect, which you can use to your advantage to catch people off guard, but you may not be strong enough to beat them. Like with Monet. If Pasha wasn’t distracting her, Jenkins probably wouldn’t have been able to subdue her. He’s old after all.”

Luffy huffed, inflating his cheeks. “I want to be strong enough to beat them on my own!”

“And you will, but you need time. All the training you do will be for nothing if you get lost before then.”

The smallest boy furrowed his brow. “My sense of direction isn’t that bad!”

She chuckled, giving them all a squeeze. “I know.”

“So.” Ace turned his head slightly, his glasses all fogged up. “Does this mean we can stay?”

She stared as he glanced to her and then away. “I wasn’t going to force anything on you. I said _we_ had an important decision to make and we make important decisions together.”

The boys hugged back.

“We want to stay.”

“Things will have to change, do you think you’re ready for it?”

All three of them nodded.

“Alright then.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who is still on this boat with me.  
> Thank you Kyotokiki, Nike and Maddy for your comments lady chapter and everyone who left kudos!  
> Your support is appreciated!


	31. In Sickness and In Health

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAN I'm late.  
> Holy fuck.

“What, you don’t trust us to go to school by ourselves?” Ace furrowed his brow almost glaring up at their mom as they made their way towards the school on the other side of town.

“Have you thought that maybe, _just maybe,_ I want to spend more time with you after you were attacked by a crazy person?”

Their mother followed slightly behind them, slowing down her usual brisk, long stride so they wouldn’t have to jog.

Ace turned back ahead with a huff. “We did alright.”

Ailani glanced at the tops of the buildings lining the street. “‘Alright’ won’t always cut it.”

The other two boys glanced at their older brother who scowled at the road ahead of them.

Pasha turned to look back at his mother, skin clammy, eyes half lidded. “You said things would have to change... from now on.”

She glanced down, frowning as she studied the boy. “This is your last week of school, correct? The two of you have placement exams, Luffy just needs to ride out his final days.”  
Ace stopped short, spinning around. “Why does it matter! We need to start training, not go to school!”

Ailani knelt down on one knee. “How well you do in these exams will help us later. We can’t give up long term goals for short term gain.”

Ace glared to the side, hands forming into fists.

“Ace.”

His frown stretched further across his face, but he didn’t move. “How can… how can you tell us we’re not strong enough to stay but then not train us?”

“Ace look at me.”

He turned his head slightly, looking at the giant woman from the corner of his eye.

She put a hand to her heart. “Do you trust me?”

His eyes widened and his face softened as he glanced back to the grey cobblestones. “I don’t… _not_ trust you, it’s just-...”

His brothers chorused behind him.

“He trusts you!”

He spun around. “HEY!”

Luffy stuck his tongue out and Pasha smirked.

He felt a large hand encompass his shoulder and he looked back at his mom.

She smiled, eyes softening. “I can always rely on you to bring up good points, I’m not asking you to stop. But can I ask you to trust my judgement _this_ time?”

He looked away, just past her arm and nodded.

“Great.” She nodded back as she stood up. “I need time to work out a plan too.”

She motioned for all of them to continue walking towards the school. “I have an important meeting in about two weeks off the island. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here.”

Luffy brightened. “We’re coming with you?”

She smiled back at the youngest boy. “Sort of. I had planned your first visit to Nuei-Nuei Island at a while back. This meeting happens to coincide with that. I’m going to leave you with my mom and one of my sisters while I head to Fishman Island for some... delicate work.”

“FISHMAN ISLAND?”

She put a finger to her lips shushing them. “Not so loud… But yes. The Fleet Admiral asked me to take care of some business there.”

Luffy hopped along, grin getting bigger by the second. “Fishman Island! Like Fisher Tiger’s home!”

She smiled, closing her eyes. “That’s right!”

He lifted his arms up into the air. “Take us to Fishman Island!”

She shook her head, making an ‘x’ with her arms. “Absolutely not.”

“AAAAWWW!!! Why nooooot!”

She lifted a finger up. “Fishman Island isn’t friendly to Marines, and bringing you will only will only prompt more unnecessary risk. If my work is even partially successful, then I should be able to bring you another time. Deal?”

Luffy put a hand to his mouth thoughtfully, before grinning back at her. “Deal!”

Pasha cleared his throat, voice a little low and gravely. “If-... if Fishman Island isn’t safe for Marines, then what about you?”

“Their royal family has granted me permission to meet with them. I should be fine. If not, I’ll find a way out.”

Ace raised a brow. “You have a plan?”

She smirked at him, eyes narrowing. “A few…”

They came to the school and walked in. Luffy waved and ran off to his classroom, two of his classmates barreling into him before he got to the door.

Their mom glanced down at the remaining two boys “I want to speak with your teacher if you don’t mind.”

Ace pointed down the hall. “He’s probably in the Faculty Office.”

Pasha furrowed his brow. “Why do you need to- eh-hem... meet with him?”

“I want to get any material he might be going over today, because I need to take you to see a doctor.”

His eyes widened. “What?”

Ace eyed him up and down, nodding. “Yeah you look like shit.”

“I’m alright, I can-”

Their mom crossed her arms. “Absolutely not.”

Ace lifted a hand. “I’ll let ya know if he covers something weird.”

Ailani nodded as she opened the door to the teacher’s lounge and Pasha shuffled in behind her, grimacing at the floor in front of him.

 

The doctor’s visit was quick. Pasha received a shot of antibiotics, and took some fever reducers and decongestants. They grabbed a couple comforters and a pillow from the apartment. Pasha changed into his pajamas and Ailani took him to work. She cleared off the loveseat in her office at the Navy Financial Office of binders, ledgers and papers, setting up Pasha as comfortably as possible. After trying to work on his first worksheet, the boy fell asleep.

 

“How’d it go?”

Ailani stared at the transponder snail on her desk, receiver in her hand. It had a sleep mask on it’s shell, and dark wavy hair coming from it.

Her eyes drifted to the sleeping blonde haired rosy cheeked boy curled up on the small couch with comforters wrapped around him, before moving her focus to the window, across the main open office area and through the windows to the overgrown atrium.

“As well as to be expected. The girl wasn’t very forthcoming, but her reactions to the data we had was enough.”

“You know what I meant.”

Her eyes went back to Pasha who shifted in his sleep.

“The boys are... staying.”

“You almost sound… disappointed.”

“No. Just worried.”

“They’re strong, aren’t they?”

“That’s not enough.”

“It’s enough for _you_.”

“No it’s _not_. It helps, but it’s not why I’m still here.”

“You have a plan.”

A smirk quirked the corner of her lips as she eyed the snail. “I always do.”

“Will they be up for it?”

“They will or they’ll die.”

“Arara-... that’s too dramatic.”

“Is it?”

The snail went quiet and looked down.

“No. I suppose not.”

“...Mom?”

Ailani glanced at the boy who was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. “Talk to you later.”

“Sure.” The snail went dormant as Ailani hung up the receiver.

“Who was... that?” The boy blinked slowly, still a little unfocused. His skin didn’t look as sallow and his face looked less blotchy.

She smiled. “Another vice admiral. A friend of mine.”

He nodded slowly.

She looked at the clock. “Are you hungry?”

He put a hand to his stomach, frowning. “I… should be.”

She stood up from her desk and walked over, bending down to check his forehead. “The fever’s gone down. I’ll go get you some soup. Relax for a little while.”

He nodded and leaned back on his pillow as she stood up to leave.

“Mommy?”

She stopped and knelt down, running a hand through his damp hair. “Yeah, sunshine?”

He smiled for a moment before becoming a little more somber. “What kind of training are we going to do?”

She sighed. “First things first, we need to make emergency plans.”

“Em...mergency?”

She nodded. “Starting with the basics. Fire, typhoon, tsunami, then onto specifics. I want us all to have basic plans, but I also want you three to explore other options.”

“That doesn’t seem so bad…”

She raised a brow. “I’ll give you the basic protocol for natural disasters, and the civilian evacuation routes, but for other scenarios, like assassins and infultrations and attempted kidnappings… well, that’s something different.”

“Oh?”

“I’m going to need at least three alternate plans for each scenario.”

He furrowed his brow. “Why three, isn’t one good plan enough?”

She leaned over and kissed his forehead before pulling away. “Because something always goes wrong. Now rest.”

He tucked himself in and his mom disappeared from view. He knew he had nodded off because she appeared again almost instantly, putting a hand on his shoulder, with a cup of ramen in the other. He ate about half, before putting it down and looking at his schoolwork. It was hard for him to focus, but he was able to do one or two practice problems before he started rubbing his eyes. He started to hear a low tune and turned to his mom. The large woman had her white coat hanging on her chair, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, stray blonde and pink hairs resting on the tan skin of her face. Eyes concentrating on the work on her desk, her lips moved wordlessly, as a hum vibrated from her, a song that Pasha found familiar, but couldn’t quite place. He yawned and put his pencil down, leaning back into his pillow, and after a little while of listening, watching her as she worked, he closed his eyes.

 

“Hunny bun.”

“Hmn…?”

The office was dim, only the window out into the main office and the open door letting light in. His mom had her white navy coat over her shoulders and his bag in her hand.

“Time to go home.”

“Mnm…” He nodded, rubbing his eyes.

They rolled up the blankets and made their way home, his mom carrying everything but his schoolbag.

 

“Hey sleepyhead.”

“You’re back!”

Eyes half lidded, Pasha smiled at his brothers as he walked past the kitchen into the living room. Plates were already set out and takeout bags sat in the middle of the round high top table in the breakfast nook on the other side of the room. Luffy was entirely on the table with the exception of one leg, taking containers out of one of the bags.

His mom dumped the comforters onto the back of the couch.

“Go on, join ‘um. Start without me.” She motioned to them as she started up the stairs.

He put his school bag on the coffee table and climbed up onto a chair.

Luffy frowned, pouting slightly as Ace took the empty bags into the kitchen “You got to wear your jammies all day? No fair!”

Pasha nodded, humming an affirmative sound, eyes drifting to the food in front of him.

Ace hopped up onto the chair next to Luffy. “What, you want to be a zombie all day? You’re already dumb, you can’t afford to be any more zoned out.”

“HEY! I’M NOT DUMB! Y-...YOU’RE DUMB!” The small boy stood up on his chair pointing at his older brother who had started to scoop food onto his plate.

The older boy side eyed him past the orange frames of his glasses. “Prove it.”

Luffy frowned, looking down to the table, hand slowly falling to his side.

Ace pushed the container to him, having scooped his fill. “Well?”

He stared back at him, pouting. “I can’t.”

Ace nodded matter-of-factly, starting on his plate of food. “Thought so.”

He glanced over to Pasha who had a small smile as he slowly scooped out of another container.

“You look less like shit.” He waved his hand absently, focusing back on his food. “But still shitty.”

Pasha looked up at him, frowning slightly, but nodded slowly. “Mnm.”

Ace frowned, before taking a spoonful of food. “Get better.”

Pasha’s mouth curved back up slightly as he turned his attention back to his food. “Mnm.”

 

“But where will you sleep?” Pasha rubbed his eyes as he held a comforter in his arms, and his mom made up her bed with fresh sheets. She was wearing her usual nighttime attire, a loose fitting tee and workout shorts.

“On the couch.” She smoothed the fabric down.

His mouth tilted incredulously. “You’re too big.”

She side-eyed him. “You callin’ me fat?”

“N-no!”

She chuckled as she stood up straight, and walked over to him, ruffling his hair with one hand while taking the comforter with the other.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Pasha jutted his bottom lip out, blushing slightly in embarrassment as she fluffed the comforter up in the air over the bed.

“I-... I can sleep in our room.”

“Would feel better if you slept in here. You’re in the middle bunk, and that’s just asking for an uncomfortable night for all three of you. You need to gain your strength back, quick. I’ll be downstairs if you need me. You took your meds?”

He nodded, frowning. “Mnm.”

She glanced at him, then smiled, walking over. She crouched down to his level. “Don’t worry about me, ok? Get better.”

He nodded again, smiling weakly. “Mnm.”

She put a hand through his lengthening blonde hair, and kissed his forehead. “That’s the spirit. Want me to tuck you in?”

He looked down to the floor, slightly embarrassed, and nodded.

“Come on, up you go.” She lifted him up and placed him in the middle of the bed, leaning against one of her many pillows, then fluffed the sheet up and over him. She folded the comforter to the foot of the bed.

“It’ll be there if you need it.”

“It’s almost summer mom, it’s only cold in your office.”

She smiled and leaned over to give him another kiss. “I know. Goodnight, sunshine.”

“Goodnight, Mom-...my.”

The eleven year old boy closed his eyes as his mom’s large hand brushed over his hair, and he felt the extra weight leave the bed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo. Rewrote this chapter like 3x times.  
> It's just like that sometimes, I guess.  
> Thank you Kyotokiki, FandomKitty8, Nike, zanielneko, Ferna52, Jorae, JadeFlicker, Maddy and BlueTeamChurch for the wonderful comments, it does mean a lot.  
> Thank you everyone who left there support with kudos, and thank you for enjoying the show.  
> Thank you @inopei on Tumblr for this great pic of the boys, please go and throw money her way and commission her:<https://inopei.tumblr.com>  
> 


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